It’s that time of year again! Scientology erect mammoth marquee ahead of annual East Grinstead bash

The Church of Scientology have started construction work on three mammoth marquees ahead of the annual gathering of their membership body, the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) next month.

The annual IAS event, which takes place every October at the controversial church’s UK headquarters near East Grinstead, Sussex has been the source of frustration among local residents since its return in 2023 after a multi-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With thousands of Scientologists descending upon the otherwise quiet, rural town locals have expressed concerns about the “chaos” and “disruption” it brings to the area, as well as Scientology’s failure to apply for the relevant permits to hold the event. 

A mammoth 45,000 sq ft marquee has been built on the site of the Grade-II listed Saint Hill Manor every year for the last three years to serve as the event’s venue, along several other large temporary structures but until this year, construction has taken place without permission. In 2024, Mid-Sussex District Council issued Scientology with a Planning Contravention Notice and ordered the church to apply for permission before beginning construction ahead of the 2025 event. It then submitted an application seeking approval for a major 5-hectare redevelopment of the compound which included paving over a large field to turn it into a car park for over 600 vehicles. 

After being shot down by local environmental groups and various government bodies – including East Grinstead Town Council – the plans were amended and permission was finally granted earlier this year, meaning this year’s temporary structures are no longer unauthorised. However, questions remain over the car park.

Officially, the church has been granted approval for the following:

“Change of use of vacant land to event area for use with installation of permanent infrastructure and reinforced ground surfacing (cellular paving grid) to facilitate the erection of annual marquee structures including ground level alterations, wash block and toilets, generator enclosure and concrete ring together with the erection and dismantling of the temporary marquee structure themselves (for a total maximum period of 84 days per year) and overflow car parking for the Church and neighbouring sports clubs consisting of reinforced ground surfacing (cellular paving grid) for up to 683 car spaces (comprising up to 113 cars (Area A) for no more than 30 days per annum, 313 cars (Areas A & B) for no more than 13 days per year and up to 683 cars (Areas A, B & C) for no more than 7 days per year), construction of a new access and internal road, sustainable surface water and foul drainage provision, associated landscaping and ecological enhancements.”

With construction starting earlier this month, this means the marquees must be fully dismantled no later than early November. However, works are yet to begin on the permanent infrastructure Scientology sought permission for to turn one of their fields into a car park. The application explicitly states a “reinforced ground surfacing (cellular paving grid)” would be embedded into the ground, making it suitable for cars to use however photos sent to us by a local resident earlier this week suggest instead the church has proceeded to cover the field with hard plastic sheeting, as they have in previous years – which would not, we understand, be covered by their new permission. 

Scientology Business reached out to Mid-Sussex District Council to seek clarification on whether the temporary surface would be considered another breach of planning controls, to which we were told the matter was “receiving attention.” The site sits within a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) where developments are given greater scrutiny in order to protect the countryside from overdevelopment.

Either way, plans are clearly well underway ahead of this year’s IAS event. A date is yet to be announced, but it typically takes place across a weekend in mid-October, with Tom Cruise helicoptering in for the occasion.