Karen#1
Well-known member
TONY ORTEGA
Excerpt:
Scientology has resubmitted plans for its UK headquarters, and Alex Barnes-Ross has given them a look…
As you may remember, back in February Scientology put a pause on their plans for a major redevelopment of their UK headquarters as pressure mounted from various government agencies and local residents, who opposed the proposals. It was the latest in a saga that has been ongoing for well over a year relating to their annual IAS event.
In 2023, Mid-Sussex District Council issued Saint Hill a Planning Contravention Notice. Essentially, the mammoth 45,000 square foot tent they erect on their property to host the event every October was illegal and the Church were ordered to apply for permission before beginning works on the structures for the 2024 event.
Instead, Scientology applied for a Lawful Development Certificate, arguing they have been illegally erecting the same tent for a period exceeding 10 years and is therefore eligible to be grandfathered in. But the Council were quick to point out the structures are temporary, and there was a three-year period where events weren’t held during the pandemic and for some time afterwards until David Miscavige was ready to restart their annual events program. They were once again reminded they need to apply for permission before the 2024 event, but of course Scientology ignored this and went ahead with the major construction work anyway.
But it didn’t go unnoticed and the Council weren’t happy about it, leading to Saint Hill finally submitting a formal planning application in September 2025. The plans were initially for a mega car park, part of which would be permanently paved over — the other portion involving a plastic ‘geocell’ grid system that would reinforce the ground to make it suitable for vehicles, but which allows grass to grow through giving the appearance of it still being a field. The proposal also included concrete pads and a ring beam — infrastructure “to support the annual erection of temporary marquees,” but fell short of asking for permission for the structures themselves.
A number of local residents and government agencies wrote in with concerns about the ambiguity and scale of the proposal. East Grinstead Town Council, for instance, took issue with permanent change being made to a protected rural landscape for an event which takes place over just three days once a year.
READ MORE
tonyortega.substack.com
Excerpt:
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[/td]As you may remember, back in February Scientology put a pause on their plans for a major redevelopment of their UK headquarters as pressure mounted from various government agencies and local residents, who opposed the proposals. It was the latest in a saga that has been ongoing for well over a year relating to their annual IAS event.
In 2023, Mid-Sussex District Council issued Saint Hill a Planning Contravention Notice. Essentially, the mammoth 45,000 square foot tent they erect on their property to host the event every October was illegal and the Church were ordered to apply for permission before beginning works on the structures for the 2024 event.
Instead, Scientology applied for a Lawful Development Certificate, arguing they have been illegally erecting the same tent for a period exceeding 10 years and is therefore eligible to be grandfathered in. But the Council were quick to point out the structures are temporary, and there was a three-year period where events weren’t held during the pandemic and for some time afterwards until David Miscavige was ready to restart their annual events program. They were once again reminded they need to apply for permission before the 2024 event, but of course Scientology ignored this and went ahead with the major construction work anyway.
But it didn’t go unnoticed and the Council weren’t happy about it, leading to Saint Hill finally submitting a formal planning application in September 2025. The plans were initially for a mega car park, part of which would be permanently paved over — the other portion involving a plastic ‘geocell’ grid system that would reinforce the ground to make it suitable for vehicles, but which allows grass to grow through giving the appearance of it still being a field. The proposal also included concrete pads and a ring beam — infrastructure “to support the annual erection of temporary marquees,” but fell short of asking for permission for the structures themselves.
A number of local residents and government agencies wrote in with concerns about the ambiguity and scale of the proposal. East Grinstead Town Council, for instance, took issue with permanent change being made to a protected rural landscape for an event which takes place over just three days once a year.
READ MORE
Scientology revamps plans for UK headquarters car park after local opposition
Scientology has resubmitted plans for its UK headquarters, and Alex Barnes-Ross has given them a look…
tonyortega.substack.com
