Gateway 2 approval rates climb to 82% as BSR cuts decision times
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has reported further improvements in Gateway 2 performance, with approval rates for higher-risk building applications rising to 82% over the latest 12-week reporting period.
The latest figures show approval rates have increased across new-build, remediation and NHS projects, while median determination times have fallen significantly following operational reforms and the expansion of the regulator’s Innovation Unit.
Over the 12 weeks to 1 August, the BSR made 349 Gateway 2 building control decisions across all higher-risk building categories, approving 287 applications.
Approval rates for new higher-risk buildings and conversion projects reached 91%, with median determination times reduced to 22 weeks, compared with an approval rate of 39% and median approval time of 43 weeks during the same period last year. In London, approvals reached 93%.
The regulator said the 45 new-build approvals issued during the reporting period represent 7,587 residential units currently progressing through the building safety regime.
Remediation approvals exceed annual target
Performance also improved for existing building remediation projects, with approval rates increasing to 85%, exceeding the regulator’s 2026 target of 65%.
Across the reporting period, the BSR approved 85% of 110 remediation applications, covering more than 7,400 residential units. In London, remediation approvals reached 92%.
The regulator added that legacy applications submitted in 2024 continue to reduce, while applications submitted during 2026 are now being determined in a median time of 21 weeks.
The BSR said its Innovation Unit, established in August 2025 to streamline new-build assessments, has more than doubled approval rates over the past year.
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The unit now records a 91% approval rate for non-complex applications, with median determination times reduced to 22 weeks after bringing multidisciplinary assessment teams in-house and introducing dedicated account managers, consistency panels and improved application tracking processes.
NHS projects and Gateway 3 applications progress
NHS applications achieved an approval rate of 84% nationally, with the regulator determining 19 applications during the reporting period and approving 16.
Meanwhile, Gateway 3 approvals for completed higher-risk building works currently stand at 72%, with a median determination time of 16 weeks across the latest 29 decisions.
Charlie Pugsley, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Building Safety Regulator, said: “We are seeing positive momentum in building control approvals across all categories, including critical work to upgrade NHS hospitals and facilities.
“This progress is a direct result of our targeted improvement plans and our closer, more collaborative work with the NHS to resolve technical issues early in the design phase.
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“While we remain absolutely focused on further improving our processes and supporting safe development across healthcare, housing and complex developments, our core commitment remains unchanged. We will never allow faster decision-making to compromise the safety of the people who will live, visit and work in these buildings.”
