Local residents and frequent visitors to East Grinstead have hit back against Scientology’s plans for a major redevelopment of their Saint Hill compound amid a battle for permission submitted by the controversial Church.
The plans, submitted last month, include partially paving over a field and turning farmland into a giant car park and building infrastructure to support the annual gathering of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS). The event takes place every October with thousands of parishioners traveling from across the world to hear reclusive leader David Miscavige speak. In 2024, the church were issued a Planning Contravention Notice for the unauthorised construction of a mammoth 45,000 square foot marquee used as the venue for the gathering. Mid-Sussex District Council advised that they “must apply for planning permission before construction work begins on next year’s tent”, however this was subsequently ignored.
Building works began in August on this year’s marquee, despite lacking planning permission and the site sitting within a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The event is set to take place on the weekend of October 31st and the Council are understood to be considering enforcement actions it could take against the illegal structure.
The application Scientology have submitted falls short of asking permission for the tent itself, instead requesting approval for a 619+ car park, two toilet blocks, a generator and power substation and concrete pads that would “support the construction of an annual marquee”.
Just yesterday, we reported that the local Conservation Officer shot down the redevelopment works as “harmful” and “damaging” to the area, citing local rules aimed at protecting heritage assets. Now, Scientology Business can reveal that Scientology’s plans have sparked outrage among local residents, with several writing in to complain about the proposed works.
Lets take a look at some of the responses received in opposition to the application:
With regards to the proposed 600 plus car park that Scientology is proposing for Saint Hill, in East Grinstead. I have visited there on a number of occasions and for extended periods of time. I’ve travelled Saint Hill Road on foot and by car many times. I can’t imagine the dangers it would pose in having 600 or more cars on that narrow road vying for a spot at the same time. I think, for safety, it would be wise to turn down this application for development in the area.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
In this letter, a resident references the lack of local infrastructure available to support such a large event. For context, Saint Hill is located in the heart of rural Sussex and can only be accessed via a narrow country lane with limited capacity for the increase in traffic caused by the gathering:
I’m writing to add my comments on application DM/25/2223. I have previously spent time in and around the area of Saint Hill Manor and as such, I am familiar with the location.
This application centres around building facilities for large events on the Church of Scientology premises. During these events, there is significant traffic along Saint Hill Road, which increases risk to pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. While I recognise that a new entrance to the car park is being considered in this application, my worry is that even with this, the road may be overwhelmed by the large volumes of cars this car park is set to hold. In addition, noise pollution may be a disturbance to local residents, especially given how cars may exit and leave the car park at night. To make the area safer, greater lighting/paving etc. may be required which could detract from the rural nature of the site, as well as having an impact on the environment in its construction.
By adding these facilities to the Saint Hill property, I fear that using the fields as a large event space will cause more harm than good, especially with a likely increase in events that are already held on the site. Rather than building these facilities in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which may set a precedent for further construction on the site, it would make more sense for these large scale events to be held elsewhere where these facilities are already present and construction could be avoided.
Therefore, I would urge the Council to reject this application
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
Locals are also concerned about the impact such a major development would have on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in which Saint Hill is located. In this response, a resident references Scientology’s history of violating pollution laws and the compounded effect of the estate’s overdevelopment:
I would like to comment on planning application DM/25/2223 (Juhring And Hobbs Field At Saint Hill Manor Saint Hill Road East Grinstead West Sussex)
I strongly object to this application because of the following:
The Saint Hill estate is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with an ancient woodland located next to the proposed site. I do not think that the proposed development is suitable for such an area. The inevitable use of heavy earth moving equipment will have a detrimental effect on the environment and wildlife.This development proposes turning an agricultural field into a permanent car park. According to the application this car park will only be fully utilised for a few days each year, probably just 3 days. Turning the whole field into a permanent car park seems like a hugely excessive thing to do. The cost of this would be huge and makes no sense for such limited use, unless the CoS plans to greatly increase the numbers of visitors to the estate, by expanding the facilities.
The roads surrounding Saint Hill are narrow, twisty and are without street lighting or pedestrian pavements. In several areas there is not enough room for two vehicles larger than a typical car to pass each other. If you want to walk down either any of the roads surrounding Saint Hill (Saint Hill Road and West Hoathly Road), you take your life in your hands. Many is the time I have had to take avoiding action to avoid a speeding motorist. Turning a car park into a field will only lead to an increase in road traffic causing safety, pollution and congestion problems. For example, during the series of events run by the CoS in Nov 2023, traffic was backed up along Saint Hill Road to the B2110 crossroads, approx. 800 yds away, simply because of the vehicles waiting to enter Juhring field which was being used for parking. This traffic jam caused huge inconvenience to local drivers attempting to get to the sports club, the rugby club and elsewhere. Further developing the estate will only add to these problems.
I am very concerned that this development will be a prelude to even more development at the Saint Hill estate. In recent years we have seen several new buildings (a wing extension to the northern part of the castle, a cafeteria, a coach park, a large building for training course delivery next to the stables, a large garage solely for the display of L Ron Hubbard’s cars, plus various workshops and greenhouses). It seems that the CoS is intent on creating a campus-style environment. None of these developments have been sympathetic to the existing historic Saint Hill Manor estate and further similar developments would be an eyesore.
All of this comes after the building of a very large faux castle in the 1960s which started without even bothering to apply for planning permission. It is a common boast within the CoS that Hubbard circumvented planning laws by claiming that any person in England had the right to build their own castle.
If permission for this development is given now, where will it end? Will the tent that they erect for 3 months each year become a permanent structure? Will they then claim precedent for a concert / exhibition centre on the site, building a permanent road between that and the proposed car park? Will they build further accommodation for visitors so that they do not have to leave the site? Such developments would be completely inappropriate for such an area. It may be considered that further developments can be controlled by planning law, but the CoS has a poor record of complying with the law. Witness the refusal of the CoS to apply for planning permission for the erecting of a huge marquee (45,000 sq ft) despite being issued with a contravention notice in 2024, planting a hedge on a public right of way, simply to prevent critics from lawfully standing there and multiple breaches of pollution laws resulting in a large fine for sewage discharge into a watercourse in 2018.
For all of the above, and many other reasons, I believe that this planning application must be refused.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
NatureSpace, which works with local authorities to ensure planning applications take reasonable precautions to avoid destroying habitats associated with the protected Great Crested Newt also called out Scientology’s plans for being inadequate. And it appears locals are concerned about local wildlife too, with this letter citing a host of environmental, ecological and traffic issues which impact the local area as a result of the annual event:
Environmental Issues:
While much attention is given to grass, shrubs and trees in the planning documents submitted, there is essentially no mention made of the impact the new parking areas will have on burrowing animal life. Specifically, Field Voles, Wood Mice, Common Shrews.Except for the Common Shrew, which falls under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, none of these animals fall under a protected status. Their significance is as prey for other animals, such as foxes, weasels, stoats, kestrals, barn owls, and in particular, Tawny Owls, which rely on a steady diet of Wood Mice in order to breed.
While they primarily feed on the surface, all of these are burrowing animals. Wood Mice create extensive tunnel networks, with chambers for nesting and food storage, year round. Field Voles and Common Shrews burrow tunnels used primarily to escape predators, which are expanded into nesting chambers during winter months.
The diagrams within QED Structures document, “Site 1 Car Park Flood Risk Assessment and Surface Water Drainage”, Page 34 – Typical Paving Details, show how the proposed excavation and paving methods for Juhring Field will destroy, and permanently eliminate, a large area of field habitat for these animals.
The ‘Stabilized Grass Surface’ diagram shows excavation to an approximate depth of 338mm is required for proper installaton, as follows:
38mm thick: Gopla Grass & Gravel Stabilization Grid
100mm thick: Bedding Layer for grass roots
250mm thick: Type-3 Aggregate Sub-base
Terram 1000 Non Woven Geotextile Seperator directly on soil
The Stabilization Grid will effectively block horizontal tunnel digging, while the aggregate sub-base will prevent burrowing deep enough to create nesting chambers.The ‘Permeable Tarmac Car Park’ diagram shows excavation to an approximate depth of 120mm is required for proper installation, as follows:
30mm thick: Porous Asphalt Surface Course
70mm thick: Porous Asphalt Binder Course
20mm thick: Clean Crushed Stone Sub-base
Terram 1000 Non Woven Geotextile Seperator directly on soil
The asphalt and crushed stone will completely block and tunneling and nest building.Traffic Issues:
The planning documents submitted give the impression the proposed new entrance and additional parking areas will eliminate traffic issues experienced in the past on Saint Hill Road during events. Looking at past traffic issues, it is obvious this is not the case. The primary cause of the long backups on Saint Hill Road is site security have to check every vehicle, and it’s occupants, as it enters to insure only invited dignataries and Scientologists, in what they refer to as Good Standing, are admitted
to the event. They want to be absolutely sure no outside reporters, critics, or protestors are admitted.Hobbs Field Marquee Area Base Issues:
The plan calls for a number of permanent base pads to be installed in Hobbs field to support the marquee used for the annual International Association of Scientologists event. The diagram within QED Structures document, “Site 1 Car Park Flood Risk Assessment and Surface Water Drainage”, Page 34 – Typical Paving Details, shows these pads as being 450mm high. There is a note stating a minimum 585mm height is required to allow for storage, but no explanation of how the additional 135mm of height will be accomplished.This appears to be a “bad faith” request, based on the following:
2023: Scientology erected the marquee and held there IAS event without Planning Permission
2024: The marquee was again erected without planning permission, and a Planning Contravention Notice was issued.
2025: In spite of the Planning Contravention Notice, the marquee was again erected without Planning Permission.In all three instances it is apparent Scientology felt they could erect their marquee, and hold the event, before Mid Sussex Planning could react to the situation. Thereby avoiding the time, trouble, and expenses involved with requesting Planning Permission properly.
What the requested permanent pads will do is dramatically decrease the time it takes to erect the marquee. Making it even easier for Scientology to bypass the Planning process and still hold their event. For that reason alone, permission for these pads should be denied, even if the rest of the plan is approved.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
This objection notes the noise nuisance and disruption caused by Scientology’s event, as well as echoing others’ concerns about the potential impact on the surrounding landscape and wildlife:
I am writing to register my concern over the proposed installation of a large marquee by the Church of Scientology located at Saint Hill, East Grinstead.
My main concerns are as follows:
The impact on the local character and surrounding landscape
To install such a large structure would significantly alter the character of the local environment, which is valued for its beautiful landscapes and nature.Noise and disturbance
Erecting a marquee of this scale is likely to (and has previously) generated considerable noise, particularly during evenings and weekends. This will have a direct impact on the peace and wellbeing of local residents and wildlife.Traffic and parking Issues
Increased visitor numbers to the marquee will inevitably put pressure on local roads causing disruption to those who live nearby.The possibility of the marquee staying longer than specified.
A marquee of this scale might remain in place for an extended period, effectively functioning as permanent structure without undergoing the appropriate scrutiny through the full planning process.My main concerns are that this is out of keeping with the local area and it will negatively impact the residents not to mention the local wildlife. I therefore respectfully request that the council refuse permission for the erection of this marquee.
Thank you for considering my objection.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
Locals have also referenced the efforts Scientology make to obstruct protestors, who gather outside the property throughout the course of the event. In this objection, a resident calls on the Council to put a stop to the unauthorised construction work and apply closer scrutiny to the Church’s activities:
Thank you so much for helping with this situation. My comment is as follows.
As a local resident I wish it to be taken into account the following:
A planning contravention notice was issued to the Church of Scientology last year after erecting a 45,000 sq ft marquee to host their annual IAS event in October. The structure dwarfs their castle and Grade 2 listed Manor, and is a blot in an area of natural beauty, visible from nearby Standen and Gravetye Manor.
Despite this, the structure has again been erected without permission, and 4 tents can be seen clearly from Gravetye Manor. This road is not suitable for events of this size, there is a perfectly suitable site only 6.2 miles away, a 13 minute drive, at the South of England Showground.
As a local resident and dog owner who walks this road and the surrounding areas regularly, the extra traffic, blocked highway with planters, barriers and balloons etc along with poor lighting puts us at unnecessary risk. I am concerned about the blatant disregard of public safety. I am further concerned about the public being invited to these events not knowing there is no planning permission.
I would like to know how allowing damage to an area of outstanding natural beauty, as shown in the Church of Scientology’s own photo submission, is being permitted again. Surely a stop must be put on this construction. Where is the public’s assurance this structure is safe and has necessary access for
Fire/ Ambulance etc if required. Last year I witnessed a Fire Engine struggle to get into the Rugby Club during the traffic chaos caused by this event. I also witnessed people being put at risk walking up a pitch black country road with inadequate lighting.The law has been defied yet again. This application is for parking at the event, a toilet block and bases for the Marquee. The Marquee is up already, the event is intented to happen with or without legal approval. Please, I beg you to show care and respect for the public and stop this construction immediately.
I therefore respectfully request this application be denied.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
Scientology’s application notes that their existing car park with 121 spaces is sufficient for every day use, with this local resident describing the proposed car park expansion as “wholly unjustified”:
Thank you for your Notification of Planning Application reference as above.
I would like to have the following comments on the application formally noted please. The application in part asks for a Hard Paved car park for 121 spaces with toilet facilities adjacent to Saint Hill Road together with hard paved access directly across from the properties at Rockwood Park.
Firstly, I do not believe that extra car parking spaces for 121 vehicles is justified or needed at Saint Hill Manor for normal day to day use. The vast majority of visitors/course students are from overseas and travel to the UK on public transport either Air or Train travel and they do not bring their own vehicles. Saint Hill Manor has a contract with the local council for many buses for staff and students each day which is further proof that a large number of extra spaces is not required. As a local resident I know this is a fact. Many students at Saint Hill Manor are temporary residents at Rockwood Park and walk across the road to attend their courses. I believe any extra vehicle spaces required can be more that 25/30 at most each day as course students to Saint Hill Manor attend at most only a few hours per day and therefore the car park spaces can be reused. I believe that this application for 121 spaces adjacent to Saint Hill Road is only to further increase the total spaces required for only a handful of days each year for larger events and is wholly unjustified.
The access requested for these spaces in the application is the entrance directly across from Rockwood Park. Saint Hill Manor already has an entrance for daily use vehicles further down the road across from the rugby club. This is the road access that should be used for any extra hard paved car park spaces. This entrance is closer to all of Saint Hill Manor’s buildings for any visitors/students and will not bring more noise/traffic disruption to any other residents on Saint Hill Road.
If these extra 121 car parking spaces are required for day to day visitors/students attending Saint Hill Manor why is there any need for toilet facilities. This entrance across from the rugby club and the field adjacent to Saint Hill Road is a short walk to the main buildings where there are toilet facilities outside the main building. This again is more proof that this application is not justified and is just a ruse to increase the spaces that Saint Hill Manor wants available for use for a large number of visitors for only a handful of days per year.
I ask that this application for 121 extra car parking spaces be rejected and only spaces for 25/30 car parking spaces for daily use be granted. I ask that the request for toilet facilities at this car park be rejected as this is completely unnecessary as there is a toilet two minutes walk away. I ask that the application for an additional car parking access at the entrance across from Rockwood Park be rejected. This entrance is used all day and into the evening by visitors/students on foot and will present an unnecessary hazard especially in the dark.
Also I believe that if this access is granted that there would soon follow floodlighting at this entrance 24 hours per day causing a light nuisance to all Rockwood Park Residents.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
Residents and visitors to the local area have raised concerns about a wide range of problems with Scientology’s proposals:
Dear Mid-Sussex District Council,
The Church of Scientology’s proposed development of its Saint Hill compound is a prime example of this organisation’s attitude that it is above the law and the needs of their parishioners supersedes that of the local community and environment. I call it a compound because that is exactly what it is. From personal experience, I can attest to the fact the workers are not permitted to leave the property without permission, have limited access to the outside world and are, for all intents and purposes, modern slaves being exploited under the guise of religion. These are the conditions workers lived under during the construction of the faux-castle in the 1960s, and the same would apply for any construction work that would take place on the property in respect to application DM/25/2223.The crux of the matter lies with their annual gathering of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS). This is the official membership body of the so-called Church, although it is not registered as an entity that trades in the United Kingdom for the purposes of tax avoidance. The property itself is designated as a Place of Worship and as such, does not generate any revenue for the Council in the way of Business Rates despite the Charity Commission rejecting a bid for tax exemption in 1999. The Charity Commission’s view remains that the Church of Scientology does not serve a public benefit, and the annual charity gala which sees £50,000 cheques given out for local causes, is a prime example of Scientology’s attempt to distract and obfuscate the real purpose of this proposed development: to generate money for an overseas entity which serves no public benefit in the UK whatsoever.
The IAS event is Scientology’s largest annual fundraising event and ticket sales to the Saturday ‘Patrons Ball’ alone generate in excess of $1.2 million for the IAS, money extracted from its members and from the local economy. The proposed development is for infrastructure to support the continuation of this event being held at Saint Hill and the Council’s decision on this matter will effectively result in the legitimisation of an event which any reasonable person would assess as being better to hold elsewhere.
As part of Mid-Sussex District Council’s review of Scientology’s application for a Public Spaces Protection Order last year, it noted severe traffic problems, pedestrians walking in the road and insufficient safety procedures in place to protect event attendees and members of the public on a dark, country lane. The PSPO application failed, and the Council made it clear these issues were a result of the Scientology event – not protestors.
Although Scientology claim that by building a new entrance, these traffic issues would be mitigated but this is categorically false. In both 2023 and 2024, both entrances were already being used for the duration of the event, and the miles-long tailback and local traffic disruption was caused by poor traffic management and the requirement for every vehicle to be stopped and searched prior to being allowed on the property. Scientology’s plans include, for example, a large metal barrier at the new entrance, and there is no explanation as to exactly how renovating this entrance would improve traffic flow.
The road itself is simply unsuitable for the increase in traffic generated by the event, is insufficiently lit and there is no paved footpath on either side of the road for pedestrians to use. There is also no pedestrian crossing, meaning even if these plans were approved, the issue of event attendees crossing the road would remain, which is a major safety issue. The Church makes it clear that this proposed car park in Juhring field would be used for events at the Rugby Club – which is on the other side of the road, and although it may alleviate congestion for these smaller events, it would still result in an increased number of pedestrians crossing the road in an unsafe manner.
Safety is clearly not Scientology’s number one priority, as evidenced by consistent failure to meet basic safety requirements around this event. For example, a 130ft hedge row, concealed fencing and wooden sleepers had been placed on the public highway opposite their main entrance, which they admitted to the Council was in order to obstruct protestors, without permission. WSCC Highways ordered they be removed, and only after months of legal threats and back and forth did they comply. All the while, this reduced the space available for passersby and dog walkers to use meaning they were forced to walk in the road due to Scientology’s obstructions.
Similarly, in 2023 and 2024 the Church placed planters, metal barriers and other obstructions along the western side of Saint Hill Road, blocking the public right of way and forcing pedestrians to walk in the road.
Scientology’s own additions to the property have been noted in the Heritage Statement they provided and described as “unsympathetic” – this is a continuation in a long history of unnecessary and tasteless additions to the property which over time have permanently damaged the prominence, charm and visual surroundings of Saint Hill House (Manor). The visual environment of houses of this period is as much a part of their amenity value as the houses themselves and Scientology cared more for money than heritage or taste. The faux-style castle, for example, was built in the 1960s without the required planning permission – something which is boasted about on Scientology’s own TV channel (scientology.tv) in the documentary they produced about Saint Hill. I can see no justification for any further development of this property and fear doing so would only harm the character and charm of this protected, GradeII listed building.
It’s obvious Scientology have been planning to construct a huge, 45,000 square foot marquee and hold the event on their property for months, regardless of planning – and have no due regard for the local authority. Photos supplied during the LDC process are an admission of guilt that this event is held in the same, mammoth marquee, almost annually for the best part of two decades, and they have never applied for permission.
Why should the planning committee trust the intentions of an applicant who has just defied the law altogether? How can they be sure that Scientology will stick to the plans they have submitted, and allow works to be inspected as required by law. The committee has good reason to suspect they won’t. That ought to be grounds for at the very least a greater level of scrutiny.
The event and use of the field as a car park has already done damage to the environment and due to a lack of enforcement in previous years, the impact this construction has already had on the local ecology has not been, and cannot be assessed.
All of this centres around mitigating the impact of Scientology’s own annual IAS event, which is the largest fundraising event in their calendar. Although environmental and ecological studies have been carried out in relation to the construction of concrete base plates, there has been no assessment of the impact of the marquee itself, it’s construction, or its use.
As a result of Scientology wanting to host a large scale event at an unsuitable site, local residents will now have to endure weeks of noisy and disruptive construction work – and damage to the environment will occur in an AONB. Looking at the bigger picture, this construction is entirely avoidable and completely unnecessary as the solution would be to host their event at a more suitable permanent venue, which has been designed with the event’s scale in mind, with the appropriate infrastructure in place to support the increase in road and foot traffic.
Situated in an AONB, this property is simply not suitable for such a large development – car park, toilet blocks and a sub station would all damage the environment and legitimise Scientology’s plans for their annual event, despite more suitable alternative venues nearby not being considered.
The event draws thousands of parishioners from across Europe to the site, and there are significant road safety concerns – especially caused by drivers with little to no experience of driving on UK roads. MSDC’s PSPO report noted that there were several near misses noted in 2023, and I fail to see how the development of a car park would solve these issues. Rather, it would encourage more people to attend and may even amplify these problems.
Scientology’s application is littered with false statements half truths and outright lies. For example, in the Noise Impact Assessment, it states “Note that the events proposed are to run only during daytime hours and as such the car parking noise will only be assessed against these noise levels.” This is simply not true. The property’s Premises Licence allows events to continue well into the hours of darkness and the nature of the annual IAS event requires it to take place in the evenings. For example, The Patrons Ball is a black tie dinner event and the Charity Concert takes place in the evening.
I was also surprised to see a supporting statement for East Grinstead Meads FC. The club is located over 2 miles away and so the additional car parking spaces would have little to no impact on their operations, considering the lack of paved and protected footpaths connecting the site to the Football Club. The Leisure Centre next door, which has supported the expansion of the car park, itself applied for the expansion of its own car park by an additional 37 spaces earlier this year (DM/25/0934). The application was subsequently withdrawn, but demonstrates how any demand for additional parking is limited to just a small number of spaces – and hardly justifies the creation of a 600+ space car park at Saint Hill.
This is not just an application for a new car park, this is a wide-ranging, full scale redevelopment of a rural landscape into a venue for one of Scientology’s largest gatherings in their annual events calendar. It would result in permanent change to a protected area, designated as an AONB, for the purpose of a single, three day event that takes place once a year – which would be much better suited being hosted in a purpose-built venue elsewhere.
This development is totally unnecessary and could be avoided if Scientology were simply to consider using a nearby events venue instead. I therefore strongly urge the Council to reject Scientology’s application.
Redacted representation in response to Scientology’s planning application (Source: Mid-Sussex District Council)
The future of Scientology’s planning application is unclear, with East Grinstead Town Council, West Sussex County Council’s flood division, NatureSpace, PlaceServices and Mid-Sussex District Council’s Conservation Officer all recommending refusal.
Nonetheless, this year’s IAS event is set to take place in the illegal structure later this month regardless.
