By Paul Dunlop
A SEX book shop is set to open in Pakenham amidst traders’ claims that an Xrated neighbour could be bad for business.
Cardinia Shire councillors on Monday voted 43 in favour of plans to establish the town’s first ‘adults only’ shop in the factory complex south of the railway line in Racecourse Road.
Councillors were divided in their opinion of the merits of the proposal with Kate Lempriere and Graeme Legge both arguing strongly against the decision.
“I think it’s sleazy, awful and I don’t know that Pakenham needs it yet,” Cr Lempriere said.
The sex bookshop application was top of the agenda at council’s first official meeting for 2006.
The shop will offer a range of products of a sexual nature, including novelty toys, lingerie, DVDs and magazines.
Objectors had argued that the proposed business would change the ambience of the area and families would no longer feel comfortable entering the complex.
Other shops in the area include a women’s hair and beauty salon supplier, a distribution centre for children’s books, novelties and educational toys, a panel repair shop, car window tinting service and the Pakenham Fitness Factory gymnasium.
Traders said they feared that mothers and children visiting their shop could find the sexual nature of the new business offensive.
Councillors who voted in favour of granting a permit acknowledged the decision could cause controversy.
But they agreed with town planners that the application was allowed under state and local guidelines and maintained it was not council’s role to base its decision on moral grounds.
Council’s planning department had recommended that a permit be issued subject to several conditions including restrictions on operating hours and preventing advertising signage from being animated or displaying flashing lights.
The final vote was 43, with mayor Bill Ronald and Crs Brett Owen, Doug Hamilton and Bill Pearson supporting the application and Crs Ed Chatwin, Lempriere and Legge voting against.
Cr Pearson said a sex shop was not something he would support in Pakenham’s Main Street but believed an industrial zone was more appropriate. He believed council had little choice but to approve the application.
“If we don’t put this through it will go to (appeal) and we’ll simply be rolled,” Cr Pearson said.
Council was told previous cases had gone before the Victorian Civil and Administration where it was ruled that objections based on moral or religious grounds were not relevant to town planning considerations.
Council was told Pakenham police and VicRoads had offered no objections to the proposal.
Applicant Neil (who requested that his surname be withheld) said the notion that adult sex shops were sleazy or dinghy was outdated and would certainly not be the case in this instance.
He said his plans were for an upmarket and classy business that would meet a need in the community and hoped the shop would be open by February.