Gateway 2 approval rates for new higher-risk residential buildings and conversions have climbed to 96% as the Building Safety Regulator continues to cut determination times.
The BSR made 57 decisions on new-build and conversion applications during the 12 weeks to 5 October, approving 55 schemes representing 11,822 residential units.
Median approval time has fallen to 23 weeks, compared with 43 weeks in August 2025 when the approval rate stood at just 39%.
Across all higher-risk building categories, the regulator made 378 building control decisions during the latest period, approving 330 – an overall rate of 87%. Those approvals represented 20,471 residential units, including both new development and existing-building remediation.
LONDON DEVELOPMENT
London continues to account for a substantial proportion of activity, with 36 of 37 new-build and conversion projects approved during the period.
Those schemes represent 6,855 homes, giving the capital a 97% approval rate and median determination time of 22 weeks for non-complex cases.
Nationally, another 186 new-build and conversion applications representing 40,644 homes remain under consideration.
The BSR is also managing 30 complex cases, which have a median determination time of 34 weeks.
APPLICATION SURGE
Applications increased sharply ahead of the Building Safety Levy coming into force on 1 October, rising from 34 in August to 64 in September.
The regulator says it has introduced additional resources and a triage system to manage the increase, while applications facing rejection will receive additional scrutiny before a final decision.
Charlie Pugsley (main picture, inset), Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Building Safety Regulator, says: “Approval rates for safe designs are high, while determination times continue to reduce significantly across both new builds and remediation projects.”
He adds: “However, we are not complacent and continue to engage with the sector to improve performance and ensure safe outcomes.”
