Approvals for building control Gateway 2 applications have risen to 75%, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has announced
Highlighting the 12-week rolling period to 30 May 2026, a total of 358 decisions were made across all application categories, including new build applications and existing building safety projects. For new build applications, 31 decisions were made by the BSR’s Innovation Unit (IU), including 28 approvals (90%). Notably, London-based applications make up 65% of all Gateway 2 decisions.
“We continue to work closely with industry on consistency to reduce the number of complex cases in the system. The IU is currently managing 131 applications, representing 30,369 units.”
Significant progress has also been made regarding remediation applications, following operational improvements to speed up decision times and intensive work to improve application quality. The 12-week approval rate for remediation cases rose to 79%, exceeding the regulator’s end-of-year target of 65%.
BSR added that the median approval time for remediation applications now stands at 39 weeks, with an increase in the number of decisions on applications that have been in the system for a long time. There are currently 16 legacy applications from 2024 still in the system compared to 42 at the start of 2026. A further 10 applications are on track to be determined in June.
“Data shows 2026 applications are progressing more rapidly than earlier applications,” the regulator said.
As previously reported by the FPA, in April 206, the regulator announced an external remediation improvement plan with a “targeted package of measures”, including a new multidisciplinary team dedicated to external remediation. The regulator added that external remediation-driven guidance would continue to be published, as well as feedback and further support to applicants.
Charlie Pugsley, Acting CEO for the BSR, welcomed the “significantly faster decision times” being made, adding that the steps taken by the IU to work more closely with applicants had led to complex technical challenges being safely resolved.
“This positive engagement has seen a growing number of decisions and rising approval rates,” he said.
You can view the latest building control approval application data from March to May 2026 here.