The Building Safety Regulator has reported a sharp improvement in Gateway 2 performance, with building control approvals across all higher-risk building categories reaching 82% during the 12-week rolling period to 1 August 2026.
The regulator made 349 building control decisions during the period and approved 287 applications. London recorded some of the strongest results, with 93% of new higher-risk building and conversion applications approved, 92% of existing-building remediation applications approved and 86% of NHS applications approved.
The most significant change is within new-build assessment. BSR’s Innovation Unit is now reporting a current approval rate of 91% and a median determination time of 22 weeks for non-complex cases, compared with an approval rate of 39% and a 43-week median in the equivalent period a year earlier.
LCM assessment: The latest figures show that BSR’s operational reset is producing measurable results, particularly for new-build and remediation applications. London is benefiting most visibly, but the headline approval rate should not be mistaken for the removal of Gateway 2 programme risk. Median determination periods remain substantial, internal refurbishment cases continue to move more slowly and the regulator is still managing a large live caseload across new build, remediation and internal works.
Jump to: Key figures | What the 82% rate means | London performance | Innovation Unit | Remediation | NHS applications | Internal works and Gateway 3 | Transitional cases and major changes | Regulatory resources | What applicants should take from the data | LCM verdict | FAQ
BSR Gateway 2 Performance: Key Figures to 1 August 2026
| Category | Latest Position | London Position | Construction Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| All higher-risk building categories | 349 decisions, 287 approvals and an overall approval rate of 82%. | Category-specific London rates were generally above the national position. | The regulator is converting a greater share of applications into decisions and approvals, but performance differs materially by work type. |
| New HRBs and conversions | 91% approval rate, 45 decisions and a 22-week median approval time. Approved projects represent 7,587 residential units. | 25 of 27 projects approved, producing a 93% approval rate and representing 3,841 units. Median approval time was 23 weeks. | New-build assessment has improved strongly, although applicants must still allow for a determination period measured in months rather than weeks. |
| Existing-building remediation | 85% approval rate across 110 decisions, representing 7,433 residential units. | 92% approval rate. | Remediation performance has moved well above BSR’s 65% year-end target, improving the prospect of stalled safety work moving into delivery. |
| NHS applications | 84% approval rate, with 16 approvals from 19 decisions and a 24-week median determination time. | Six approvals from seven determinations, producing an 86% approval rate and a 27-week median. | Specialist engagement is improving outcomes, but hospital projects remain technically demanding and programme-sensitive. |
| Internal refurbishment works | 77% approval rate across 166 decisions, with a 32-week median approval time. Applications submitted in 2026 recorded a 16-week median. | No separate London percentage was included in the headline release. | The gap between the overall median and newer cases shows how older applications continue to weigh on reported performance. |
| Gateway 3 | 29 determinations, a 72% approval rate and a 16-week median. The quickest determination was eight weeks. | The release did not provide a separate London approval rate. | Gateway 3 is becoming a more visible delivery constraint as increasing numbers of internal refurbishment projects reach the occupation-stage approval process. |
Important qualification: The 91% approval rate for new higher-risk buildings and conversions excludes invalidations and withdrawals. Approval percentages therefore show outcomes among determined applications rather than the quality or validity of every application originally submitted.
What Does the 82% Gateway 2 Approval Rate Actually Mean?
The 82% headline rate covers decisions across all higher-risk building categories during a rolling 12-week period. It combines new buildings, conversions, remediation, NHS work and internal refurbishment applications into one national measure.
That combined figure is useful because it demonstrates broad movement in BSR’s decision-making capacity. However, it can conceal important differences. New-build and conversion applications reached 91%, remediation reached 85%, NHS applications reached 84% and internal refurbishment stood at 77%.
The direction is positive, but the categories do not move through the system in the same way. A new-build application assessed by the Innovation Unit may follow a more structured route with an integrated multidisciplinary team. An older refurbishment or remediation application may contain inherited design gaps, incomplete historic information or unresolved structural and fire-safety evidence.
For project teams, the practical lesson is that a national approval percentage cannot replace category-specific programme planning. The relevant question is not simply whether BSR is approving more applications, but how applications similar to a particular project are performing and what evidence is delaying determinations in that category.
London Gateway 2 Approvals Reach 93% for New Higher-Risk Buildings
London accounted for 27 of the 45 national new-build and conversion decisions during the latest period. BSR approved 25 of those 27 projects, producing a 93% approval rate and unlocking schemes representing 3,841 residential units. The capital also recorded a 92% approval rate for existing-building remediation and an 86% approval rate for NHS applications. These figures place London above the corresponding national rates in all three categories reported separately.
London’s importance is even clearer within the live pipeline. The capital represents 65% of all new-build and conversion applications currently in progress and 58% of the residential units under assessment. Nationally, BSR is managing 131 live new-build and conversion applications representing 30,421 units. This concentration means BSR performance is not an abstract regulatory issue for the London market. It directly influences the timing of a large share of the capital’s high-rise residential pipeline, contractor mobilisation, development finance, procurement sequencing and the release of specialist packages.
The 93% approval rate is therefore an important confidence signal, but the 23-week median approval time remains commercially significant. Developers and contractors still need to account for regulatory determination within pre-construction programmes and avoid treating a strong approval percentage as evidence that every compliant application will move quickly.
BSR Innovation Unit Cuts Median New-Build Times from 43 to 22 Weeks
BSR established its Innovation Unit in August 2025 to change how new higher-risk building applications are assessed. The model brings multidisciplinary teams together internally rather than relying on a slower setup process assembled separately around each application. During its first year, the unit determined 102 applications. Of those, 76 were approvals or approvals with requirements. Its current performance is stronger, with a 91% approval rate and a median determination time of 22 weeks for non-complex cases.
The comparison with the previous year is substantial. In the 12 weeks to August 2025, new-build approval rates stood at 39% and the median approval time was 43 weeks. The latest data therefore shows the current approval rate at more than double the earlier level, while the median determination period has reduced by 21 weeks. The operational changes include dedicated account managers, an internal consistency panel and tools for tracking unresolved issues. Highly intricate applications are now designated as complex so that additional resources can be directed towards them rather than allowing them to distort the route used for more standard projects.
This matters to applicants because regulatory capacity is only part of the problem. Faster setup, clearer ownership and earlier identification of outstanding information can reduce time lost between disciplines. The Innovation Unit’s results suggest that process design is becoming as important as simply increasing the number of inspectors.
Remediation Approvals Reach 85% Nationally and 92% in London
Existing-building remediation is now one of the strongest-performing Gateway 2 categories. BSR made 110 remediation decisions during the period and approved 85% of the projects, representing 7,433 residential units. The national rate is significantly above BSR’s stated target of 65% by the end of 2026. London performed even more strongly, with 92% of remediation applications approved during the rolling period.
BSR attributes the change to its external remediation plan introduced in April 2026, together with revised guidance, process improvements and closer engagement with applicants. The regulator is also applying elements of the Innovation Unit model to remediation work. Legacy cases remain a major influence on reported times. Outstanding applications dating from 2024 have fallen from 42 at the start of the year to 13, but older cases moving through the system produced an overall median approval time of 34 weeks.
The position for newer work is materially better. Remediation applications submitted during 2026 have recorded a median determination time of 21 weeks, which BSR links to improved application quality and streamlined internal processes. BSR is currently managing 330 live remediation cases nationally, representing 28,778 residential units. The scale of that live workload means the improvement has direct implications for occupied buildings, resident safety, remediation contractors and developers carrying financing and holding costs while approvals are awaited.
NHS Building Control Approvals Reach 84%
BSR is now tracking NHS work as a separate category, covering higher-risk hospital projects ranging from maintenance and refurbishment to new facilities. During the rolling period, the regulator received 29 new NHS applications and made 19 determinations. Sixteen were approved, producing an 84% national approval rate and a median determination time of 24 weeks.
Applications submitted during 2026 are progressing more quickly, with a median determination time of 13 weeks. BSR also reports that some recent NHS approvals have been completed within the statutory eight-week period. London recorded six approvals from seven determinations, creating an 86% approval rate. The median determination time in the capital was 27 weeks.
The regulator is managing 36 active NHS cases nationally. Its specialist team is working directly with NHS applicants to resolve technical matters earlier in the design phase, reflecting the complexity of delivering fire, structural, clinical, servicing and operational requirements within live healthcare environments.
Internal Refurbishment Remains the Largest Gateway 2 Workload
Internal refurbishment applications account for approximately 49% of all Gateway 2 decisions. BSR made 166 decisions in this category during the latest period, achieving a 77% approval rate and a 32-week median approval time. The headline median is heavily affected by older cases. Internal refurbishment applications submitted during 2026 have a median determination time of 16 weeks, half the overall reported period.
Despite that improvement, the size of the live caseload remains substantial. BSR is currently managing 981 active internal-work applications, making this category the clearest test of whether process improvements can be scaled beyond specialist new-build and remediation teams. Internal works can be difficult because the regulator must assess proposed changes against the existing building, its fire strategy, structural arrangement, services, compartmentation and recorded information. In older buildings, the submitted design may also depend on evidence that was not created to the standard now expected under the higher-risk building regime.
Gateway 3 Approval Rate Reaches 72%
Gateway 3 is beginning to emerge as a more significant operational stage. BSR has received 319 Gateway 3 applications, including 235 internal refurbishments, 47 transitional cases and 23 NHS internal refurbishment applications. During the latest 12-week period, 29 Gateway 3 applications were determined. The approval rate was 72%, the median determination time was 16 weeks and the quickest determination was completed in eight weeks.
No new-build projects that passed through Gateway 2 have yet reached Gateway 3, according to the regulator. The current data is therefore dominated by internal works and transitional projects rather than providing a complete picture of how newly designed higher-risk buildings will move through the final approval stage before occupation. As the first significant wave of new-build Gateway 2 approvals moves into construction, Gateway 3 capacity, change control and the quality of the golden-thread record will become increasingly important to completion programmes.
Transitional Cases and Major Change Requests Add Complexity
BSR is managing 69 transitional building control cases at Gateway 2. These are legacy projects that reverted to the regulator after the building control body previously overseeing the work ceased trading. The regulator has also received 47 transitional cases at Gateway 3. BSR describes these projects as particularly complex because evidence inherited from the previous regime may not include the standard structural, fire and design information now required.
Separately, BSR is processing 181 live major change requests and has closed 112. The median closure time for new-build major changes is seven weeks, one week above the statutory target identified by the regulator. The growth in live major change requests is a warning for project teams. Gateway 2 approval does not remove regulatory responsibility during construction. Material design changes must be identified, classified, documented and, where required, approved before the affected work proceeds.
For contractors, this places greater importance on design management, change control, temporary works interfaces, specialist subcontractor information and the timely escalation of departures from the approved design.
BSR Expands Its Regulatory Workforce
BSR says it has expanded both its internal workforce and its external specialist capacity to support the increased volume of decisions.
| Resource | Current Number | Role in the System |
|---|---|---|
| Internal BSR staff | 176 | Includes regulatory leads, principal regulatory leads, case officers and management roles. |
| Regulatory leads | 100 | Lead and coordinate technical assessment activity. |
| Principal regulatory leads | 15 | Provide senior oversight for complex and high-risk regulatory decisions. |
| Case officers and managers | 56 case officers and five managers | Support application management, communication, records and progression. |
| External specialists | 506 | Comprises 221 registered building inspectors, 111 fire-service professionals, 135 structural engineers and 39 other specialists. |
| Specialists integrated into priority teams | 64 | Includes 36 registered building inspectors, eight fire-service professionals and 20 structural engineers embedded in the Innovation Unit and external remediation team. |
The important change is not only the number of specialists available but how they are deployed. Integrating fire, structural and building-control expertise into dedicated teams can reduce handover delays and allow technical issues to be considered together rather than sequentially.
What Applicants and Contractors Should Take From the Latest Data
Application quality is affecting times: BSR reports materially shorter medians for applications submitted in 2026, including 21 weeks for remediation, 16 weeks for internal refurbishment and 13 weeks for NHS applications.
Approval rates are category-specific: the national 82% figure should not be used as a universal forecast for an individual project. Applicants should examine the work type, age of the case and technical complexity.
London remains the centre of the live pipeline: with 65% of in-progress new-build applications located in the capital, regulatory performance will continue to influence London development and construction workloads disproportionately.
Older evidence creates delay: transitional, refurbishment and legacy remediation cases can depend on structural and fire information produced under earlier systems or not produced at all.
Change control must remain live: the 181 active major change requests show that regulatory exposure continues after Gateway 2 approval and throughout construction.
Gateway 3 should be planned early: final approval depends on the completed building, approved changes and the quality of the evidence assembled during delivery. It cannot be treated as an administrative exercise at practical completion.
Programme allowances remain necessary: improving median times are still substantial. Development, procurement and construction programmes should retain realistic regulatory allowances rather than assuming that a high approval rate equals a rapid decision.
For a wider explanation of the process, LCM’s BSR Gateway guidance for London projects sets out the practical relationship between Gateway 2, construction-stage change control, evidence and Gateway 3.
What the Headline Data Does Not Prove
The latest release is an important transparency measure, but it should be read carefully. An approval rate does not show whether an application was approved at first submission, how many rounds of clarification were required or how much redesign occurred before the decision.
A median determination time also does not describe the full range. Half of relevant decisions may be faster and half slower, while complex cases can sit well beyond the median. Rolling 12-week data can also change quickly as older cases are cleared or a small number of large categories move through the system.
The figures therefore demonstrate direction and operating performance rather than guaranteeing a decision date for any individual project. The quality, completeness and coordination of the submitted evidence remain central to the outcome.
BSR Says Faster Decisions Will Not Reduce Safety Scrutiny
Charlie Pugsley, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Building Safety Regulator, said the improvement reflected targeted plans, closer engagement with the NHS and the use of integrated teams combining building inspectors, fire professionals and structural engineers.
He also stressed that speed would not override the regulator’s core purpose: “We will never allow faster decision-making to compromise the safety of the people who will live, visit and work in these buildings.”
That distinction is important. The commercial pressure for faster determinations is substantial, but the purpose of Gateway 2 is to prevent higher-risk building work from starting without an adequate and coordinated design basis.
LCM Verdict: BSR Performance Is Improving, but Gateway Risk Has Not Disappeared
The latest BSR figures are the strongest evidence so far that the regulator’s operational changes are beginning to work. Approval rates have risen across new build, remediation and NHS work, while newer applications are generally moving faster than older cases. London’s performance is especially significant. A 93% approval rate for new higher-risk buildings and conversions, combined with 92% for remediation, provides a more credible route towards releasing residential and safety-critical work in the market carrying the largest share of the national HRB pipeline.
However, the improvement does not mean Gateway 2 has become predictable or frictionless. Median times remain commercially important, internal refurbishment carries a large backlog and Gateway 3 has yet to be tested by the first major wave of new buildings approved under the current regime. The next measure of success will be consistency. BSR must show that the Innovation Unit model can be extended across the wider caseload, that older cases can be cleared without creating new queues and that Gateway 3 capacity develops before approved new-build projects reach completion.
Final LCM assessment: The 82% national approval rate marks a genuine improvement in the higher-risk building control system, and London’s 93% new-build rate is a particularly strong signal. The construction industry should welcome the progress without relaxing its own controls. Better regulator performance will only translate into reliable delivery where applications are coordinated, evidence is complete, design changes are controlled and Gateway 3 records are built throughout the project rather than assembled at the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest BSR Gateway 2 approval rate?
The overall national approval rate across all higher-risk building categories was 82% during the 12-week rolling period to 1 August 2026. BSR made 349 decisions and approved 287 applications.
The overall national approval rate across all higher-risk building categories was 82% during the 12-week rolling period to 1 August 2026. BSR made 349 decisions and approved 287 applications.
What is the Gateway 2 approval rate in London?
London achieved a 93% approval rate for new higher-risk buildings and conversions, 92% for existing-building remediation and 86% for NHS applications during the period.
London achieved a 93% approval rate for new higher-risk buildings and conversions, 92% for existing-building remediation and 86% for NHS applications during the period.
How long are new-build Gateway 2 approvals taking?
The national median approval time for new higher-risk buildings and conversions was 22 weeks. The London median was 23 weeks.
The national median approval time for new higher-risk buildings and conversions was 22 weeks. The London median was 23 weeks.
How much has BSR new-build performance improved?
The current new-build approval rate is 91%, compared with 39% in the equivalent period a year earlier. The median approval time has reduced from 43 weeks to 22 weeks.
The current new-build approval rate is 91%, compared with 39% in the equivalent period a year earlier. The median approval time has reduced from 43 weeks to 22 weeks.
How many residential units were covered by recent approvals?
Approved new-build and conversion projects represented 7,587 residential units, including 3,841 units in London. Approved remediation projects represented a further 7,433 units nationally.
Approved new-build and conversion projects represented 7,587 residential units, including 3,841 units in London. Approved remediation projects represented a further 7,433 units nationally.
What is the remediation approval rate?
The national existing-building remediation approval rate was 85%. London reached 92%.
The national existing-building remediation approval rate was 85%. London reached 92%.
Are newer applications moving faster?
Yes. BSR reports median determination times of 21 weeks for remediation applications submitted in 2026, 16 weeks for 2026 internal refurbishment applications and 13 weeks for NHS applications submitted in 2026.
Yes. BSR reports median determination times of 21 weeks for remediation applications submitted in 2026, 16 weeks for 2026 internal refurbishment applications and 13 weeks for NHS applications submitted in 2026.
What is the latest Gateway 3 approval rate?
BSR determined 29 Gateway 3 applications during the period, with a 72% approval rate and a median determination time of 16 weeks.
BSR determined 29 Gateway 3 applications during the period, with a 72% approval rate and a median determination time of 16 weeks.
Does an 82% approval rate mean Gateway 2 is now straightforward?
No. The figure combines several categories and does not show the number of clarification rounds, design changes or evidence gaps within individual applications. Complex and older cases can still take substantially longer than the median.
No. The figure combines several categories and does not show the number of clarification rounds, design changes or evidence gaps within individual applications. Complex and older cases can still take substantially longer than the median.
Sources and methodology: This article was prepared from the Building Safety Regulator’s media update and official transparency information published for the 12-week rolling period to 1 August 2026. The national and London approval rates, determination volumes, median times, residential-unit figures, live caseloads, Gateway 3 data, major change requests and resourcing figures were taken from BSR’s update and the official Building Safety Regulator building control approval application data for May to July 2026, published on 5 August 2026. Commentary labelled as LCM assessment, construction reading or practical implication is editorial analysis based on those published figures and should not be treated as project-specific regulatory advice.
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus
Founder, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |
