Earlier this year, we reported that after eight months of dispute with West Sussex Highways, the Church of Scientology finally complied with demands to remove a 130ft hedge, concealed fence and wooden sleepers placed on a verge directly opposite the entrance to their UK headquarters near East Grinstead.
The unauthorised structures were deemed a risk to road users and had been placed along Saint Hill Road by the Church to obstruct protestors, who gathered at the gates of their property once a year during their annual gathering known as the IAS event.
An inspector found  “due to the proximity of the trees/hedge, in time they will inevitably push and/or dislodge the beams due to root and trunk growth which will cause a hazard to the highway, and some of them already appear to have done so.”
Now, emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act detail how Scientology played games with the Highways department for several months, at the local taxpayers’ expense, before finally removing the obstructions in June, only to subsequently apply for a Planting Licence to reinstate the hedge ahead of their October 2025 gathering.
The Planting Licence was eventually granted, authorising the Church to plant 35 individual trees to form a hedgerow on the condition enough space was left between the hedge and the road so that it could be used as a “pedestrian refuge.” Instead, Scientology planted 105 trees and erected hoarding on the opposite side of the road, forcing pedestrians to walk in the road over their event weekend. Highways subsequently implemented an emergency temporary 40mph speed limit on the road citing public safety.
Here’s the timeline:
On 7th May, an internal Highways email stated “The Church mentioned they might wish to erect a banner across the hedgerow for their annual event in the future, which would involve installing wooden posts or a frame. I have reminded them of our position regarding the Highway Boundary permissions and that this would not fall under the Planting Licence.”
In June, the Council emailed Scientology recommending the hedge consists of “a mix” of UK native hedgerow species “for a dense, wild-life friendly hedge”. However Scientology opted only to plant holly. They were told that the Planting Licence would not be granted until the fence and trees already placed on the highway are removed.
On 3rd June, Scientology’s UK Managing Director Janet Laveau confirmed “Removal is in progress. It should be completed in the next 24 hours or so.” An inspector was subsequently sent by the Council on 6th June, with an email going to the Church saying “It has been confirmed that while the fir trees, fence, and wooden sleepers have been removed, the fence posts and tree stumps remain on site. As discussed previously, the removal of both the tree stumps and fence posts is required before a Planting Licence can be issued.”
The Council chased Scientology on 13th June and again two weeks later. They threatened to reconsider the granting of a Planting Licence if the stumps and fence posts were not removed by 23rd July.
On 7th July, Scientology told the Council “everything has been removed” and an inspection was carried out by Highways the following day. The inspector reported on 9th July “I visited the site in question and as you can see, all of the stumps are still in the ground and have not been removed.”
It wasn’t until 30th July that Scientology confirmed that “all of the roots have been extracted and disposed of now.” The site was again inspected on 1st August, however following a complaint from a local resident that the verge was left in a state of disrepair another inspection was carried out on 7th August.
That day, Highways confirmed that the roots, stumps and other unauthorised obstructions had been removed and that they will proceed with Scientology’s appliction for a planting licence.
In an email dated 10th September 2025, a Council official said of the licence “It is usually only for trees and for the Parish or District, but this is a special for the Church of Scientology and for trees to form a hedge, which is not within the norm of the Licence, but this has been adapted.”
On 18th September, with their October IAS event date looming, Scientology applied pressure on the council to hurry up with the granting of the licence “as their supplier has lead times to adhere to” and Highways subsequently asked for the application to be expedited.
Six days later on September 24th, Scientology and West Sussex County Council finally entered into an agreement whereby Highways authorised the planting of 35 individual trees. The verge remained untouched until 23rd October, the week before their event, at which point 71 trees were planted along the highway – a number that rose to 105 by the time the gathering took place.
The Church were given 14 days to remove the excess plants, but they appear to still be in situ over a month later despite being in breach of their licence conditions. It is understood discussions remain ongoing between Highways and the Church.
To throw a spanner in the works, Scientology representative Janet Laveau signed the Planting Licence on behalf of AOSH UK Limited, a non-existent entity. Scientology trades under an Australian-registered corporation called Church of Scientology Religious Education College, Inc (COSRECI) and there is no record on the UK’s Companies House or Australian Charities & Not-for-profits Commission of a company being registered under the name AOSH UK Limited.
