Renovation works at the Church of Scientology’s forthcoming Manchester Ideal Org have run into problems after the building was found to be riddled with asbestos, planning documents reveal.

The Grade-II listed Old Essence Distillery building in Trafford was purchased by the controversial church almost two decades ago for a reported £3.6 million and has sat in a state of disrepair until recently when renovation works finally began after the local Council applied pressure on Scientology to “arrest the decline” of the building.

Scaffolding has now been erected around the building and works have begun on the interior, but due to asbestos being found throughout the building, a number of new planning applications have been made in order to account for its removal.

Documents show the asbestos has already been removed in the basement, but due to the building’s listed status additional permissions were required before removing asbestos-containing surfaces in the rest of the building. A recent inspection report by Trafford Council explains the history of the property:

The proposal relates to a Grade II Listed Building located on the A5014 Chester Road in Old Trafford. The building dates to 1896 and was historically the factory, warehouse and offices of Messrs Duckworth & Co, a colouring and essence manufacturer. The company was bought out in 2003 and the building has since remained vacant. The Essence Factory forms part of a collection of industrial and associated buildings in this area which have been designated as the Empress Conservation Area.

The Essence Factory is a five storey building of red brick construction with terracotta adornments, and with plain tiles and Welsh slate to the roof. To the rear of the site is the former delivery and packing yard which is accessed from Wright Street. In this location there is also a later two-storey annex. The building has suffered through neglect and lack of use over the last 20 or so years, though works to arrest the decline of the building have recently commenced.

The site is bounded by Chester Road to the south/east, beyond which is Victorian terraced housing, much of which has been converted for commercial use. It is bounded by Empress Street to the north, with the Empress Business Centre beyond, Wright Street to the west and the disused Trafford Press and Veno buildings to the south-west

Trafford Council Officer Report: Scientology’s forthcoming Ideal Org, Manchester (6th June 2025)

The building was purchased by Scientology in 2007 as part of reclusive leader Captain David Miscavige’s ‘Ideal Org’ program, a real estate scheme through which the church acquires large historic properties and restores them into lavish, but largely empty, local headquarters.

Initial plans suggested works would complete by 2011, but the building sat neglected for over a decade. In 2018, Scientology applied for planning permission to begin “urgent repair works” in order to protect the building from further deterioration, although it appears only minimal work was completed. Photos taken of the interior at the time show collapsed ceilings, peeling paintwork and crumbling plaster throughout.

In their latest planning application, which was approved by Trafford Council on 3rd June, Scientology sought several amendments to existing consent in order to “arrest the decline of the building” and “to include removal of asbestos works and works to enable completion of scaffold.” The application notes “the removal of asbestos containing floor and wall coverings were not identified” in their original application.

A survey completed by FM Project Consultants on behalf of the Church of Scientology details the alarming level to which asbestos was discovered at the site.

It is unclear whether the discovery of asbestos at the site will impact Scientology’s renovations plan, but it is expected to be seen as a major hurdle in the project. A special ‘Sea Org Mission’ was recently dispatched from the USA to handle the Org, replacing existing executives. Our sources tell us the previous Executive Director was ordered back to Scientology’s US headquarters for punishment and retraining due to the struggle to get renovations started on the building.

Once completed, the Org will need to recruit 80+ staff members before it is allowed to open as Ideal, suggesting we may not see this project completed for some time yet.

Scientology’s application can be followed on Trafford Council’s planning portal under reference number 116292/NMA/25.