The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have called for the rejection of proposals to redevelop the Church of Scientology’s UK headquarters near East Grinstead, Sussex, describing them as “deplorable.”
The plans, which include the creation of a “mega car park” for over 900 vehicles and over 80,000 square feet in temporary structures to be erected annually, come after Mid-Sussex District Council issued the church with a Planning Contravention Notice for failing to obtain the required permits to host the annual gathering of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS).
In a letter submitted to the council earlier this week, the charity called the plans “plainly incompatible” with local planning laws and strongly urged the authority to reject the application.
The development, it argues, amounts to unjustified overdevelopment of a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The property in question is located in the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL), and the plans centre around the annual IAS event, meaning the car park and temporary structures would only be used for three days a year.
“It offers very limited public economic or social benefits to counteract its serious environmental downsides. It offers no new housing or employment or business generation opportunities, and virtually no public real or infrastructure enhancements”, the letter reads. “The adverse impacts on the HWNL and its ecology will be every day and permanent.”
CPRE’s representation is the latest in a string of objections submitted in response to the application, with several local residents writing to the Council to express concerns over the “disruption” and “chaos” the event and its associated building works bring to the town. The local Conservation Officer also submitted a statement detailing how the proposed works would damage local heritage assets, including the Grade-II Saint Hill Manor – once to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Although not a government body, the countryside charity’s letter details specific parts of the District Plan Policy, National Planning Policy Framework and East Grinstead Neighbourhood Plan which seemingly conflict with Scientology’s redevelopment plans. Due to its location in an AONB, major developments must adhere to strict criteria in order to receive a green light. CPRE argues “the serious adverse impacts of the applicant’s scheme significantly and demonstrably outweigh its puny public benefits,” and therefore falls short of the requirements needed for approval of such large scale building works.
East Grinstead Town Council shot down the application last year and although a date has not yet been announced, the proposals are set to be decided by Mid-Sussex District Council’s District Planning Committee in due course.
You can read CPRE’s representation in full below:
