New guidance has been released to support the submission and assessment of building control approval applications for higher-risk buildings under Gateway 2, aiming to resolve issues related to significant delays in the approval process.
Developed in collaboration with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), and industry stakeholders, this guidance aims to improve the quality and efficiency of applications, ensuring compliance with the 2010 Building Regulations.
Gateway 2 is a critical step in the building control process for higher-risk buildings, where safety, design, and compliance are rigorously assessed before construction can proceed.
The guidance includes seven key documents outlining design requirements, application information, and strategies for document management and submission.
Karl Whiteman, divisional chairman of the Berkeley Group and sponsor of the CLC’s building safety workstream, stated the guidance would help streamline the approval process, reduce application backlogs, and support the delivery of safe, high-quality homes.
Tim Galloway, deputy director at the Health and Safety Executive, added: “The guidance will help applicants demonstrate to themselves and BSR that their designs and plans will result in the safe, quality homes we all want.
“Applications that clearly demonstrate compliance are approved faster, and everyone in BSR wants those designs and plans off the page and onto site as quickly as possible.”
This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to address the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations and improve industry performance.
The gateway system, part of the government’s broader reforms to building safety, includes three stages – planning approval (Gateway 1), detailed design and construction compliance (Gateway 2), and final safety checks before occupancy (Gateway 3).
It typically applies to those 18 metres (six stories) or higher, or buildings with more than six residential units at least 11 metres tall, as well as other structures with high-risk features.
The new guidance builds on a task and finish group formed earlier this year by CLC and BSR, aimed at refining the building control process and accelerating approval timelines.
Frustration over delays and high costs in the Gateway 2 approval process led to a House of Lords committee calling for evidence into the BSR.
Data from Cast Consultancy shows that by May, only 10.7 per cent of the 187 Gateway 2 applications for new higher-risk buildings had been approved, with fees averaging £28,000 and some exceeding £80,000.
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