Construction work has begun at the Church of Scientology’s UK headquarters ahead of their annual International Association of Scientologists (IAS) event, despite lacking the relevant planning permission.
Last year, Mid-Sussex District Council issued a Planning Contravention Notice for the unauthorised construction of a mammoth 45,000 square-foot structure used to host the annual gathering, which sees thousands of Scientologists flock to the Sussex compound from across Europe to hear reclusive leader David Miscavige speak. The Council advised that Scientology must seek planning permission ahead of the 2025 event, but the Church have so far failed to submit an application.
Last month, an application for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) was rejected, after Scientology lawyers argued that the structure had been used for a period exceeding 10 years and therefore was exempt from planning laws. In the decision notice, Mid-Sussex noted that the marquee was temporary in nature, is built and removed annually and had not been in constant use for more than a couple of months.
Saint Hill was once home to founder L. Ron Hubbard and was, for a period of time, the worldwide headquarters of the controversial group before Hubbard fled the country after being declared an “undesirable alien” by the British Government in 1968.
Since then, it has served as a major continental base and the venue of the annual gathering of the International Association of Scientologists, which was met by notable opposition from local residents and former members, who gathered in protest outside the property in 2023 and 2024. The event usually takes place in October and spans three days and is frequently attended by celebrity Scientologists such as Tom Cruise and Jenna Elfman. Last year, ticket sales for the ‘Patrons Ball’ which took place on the Saturday, were understood to have raised in excess of $1.25 million for the Church, despite full time staff being paid just $50 per week in return for a billion-year commitment of service.
Images show that despite being warned by the Council and a failed bid for a Lawful Development Certificate, Scientology have ploughed on with their event plans and started construction work ahead of this year’s event.
The property is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which often leads to complicated restrictions on building works that require extra care to be given on the impact they may have on the environment and the local area.
Nonetheless, heavy machinery has been photographed on the property installing trackway, with local residents telling us off-road forklifts and other construction vehicles have been seen accessing the site via Saint Hill Road, an otherwise quiet country lane.
Drone footage sent to Scientology Business by a local resident also reveals the field to the rear of the property has been treated, with trackway and flooring being installed on which heavy machinery can be seen. This suggests preparations are being made for a major construction project, despite lacking planning permission.
Documents provided by Scientology to the Council in relation to their Premises Licence, which allows the Church to host large gatherings at the property, confirm our 2023 estimate that the mammoth marquee measures in at around 45,000 square feet. The floor plan was drawn up by a company called Arena Structures and shows the layout of the marquee and associated temporary access routes in relation to the nearby Castle and Saint Hill grounds.
Construction signage currently on display at the site suggests the Church have since changed their supplier, with the tent now being provided by the Mar-Key Group.
No application for planning permission is currently visible on the Mid-Sussex planning portal, and it is unclear whether Scientology intends to submit a retrospective application after completing the construction work. However, failure to comply with planning regulations may lead to the Council seeking damages, calculated in relation to the financial gains made as a result of any breach.
The IAS event is Scientology’s largest fundraising event and pulls in millions of dollars from parishioners seeking to ascend to the next level in their tiered donation system. Parting with vast swathes of cash awards followers with titles like “Patron Excalibur” or “Platinum Meritorious” as well as fancy trophies, certificates and for those giving more than $1 million, a photograph with Captain Miscavige himself.
The annual gathering regularly causes significant delays on the local transport network due to poor traffic management and access issues associated with the venue. Last year, in reviewing a failed application for a ban on protesting submitted by the Church, Council officers noted “a number of near misses” between passing vehicles and pedestrians who chose to walk in the road despite a lack of safety precautions in place for their protection.
A date has yet to be announced for this year’s event, but it usually takes place mid-October, to coincide with the October 7th anniversary of the founding of the IAS.
