The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has reported “record year-end Gateway 2 determinations” and an increase in new building control applications in its latest data release from September to December 2025
Over 12 weeks (up to 22 December 2025), 94 new building applications were determined by the regulator, and 101 new applications were received from industry. Data shows that 347 decisions were made across all types of building applications, and 727 determinations have been made since 29 September 2025.
Compared to the first quarter, which saw just over 200 decisions made, the regulator anticipates that the final quarter of 2025 is likely to see more than 700 decisions made, indicating a “continued positive momentum” following changes to its processes. This includes the recently established Innovation Unit (IU), which is currently managing 102 live new build applications.
As previously reported by the FPA, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) acknowledged “friction points” causing “frustration for both industry and the regulator” after the new regime had been established. Several operational changes were introduced as a result.
Noting the rising quality of applications received by the IU, BSR added that “good quality applications” were now achieving approvals in around 12–13 weeks. In its report, the regulator said:
“As part of our work to drive up approval rates for safe applications, cases which are over 12 weeks, but are considered to have the potential to achieve an approval with further information, are now held by account managers who liaise closely with the applicant. Whilst this will see more cases breach the 12-week SLA, it is a pragmatic approach to ensure cases with merit are given the opportunity to progress.”
The number of live legacy new build cases has also seen a reduction. Of 94 applications at the end of September, 54 decisions have been made, reducing the legacy cohort to 40. The regulator said that there were a number of complex and/or contested cases that would be “individually managed to resolution” by account managers.
There still exist 280 open remediation cases, with the regulator focused on closing out older applications that were submitted at the start of the regime. BSR added that these “typically do not contain sufficient detail for a decision and so require significant effort to move through to a successful conclusion”.
Commenting on the continued rise of Gateway 2 determinations, Charlie Pugsley, Chief Executive Officer of the BSR, said: “Across BSR, and we believe within industry too, there is a confidence we can continue to make more decisions at an increasing pace through our new processes and by engaging appropriately with applicants.”
Further guidance has also been published on staged applications and the criteria for validating, approving, or rejecting applications. This includes a clearer understanding of those applications that may be approved, rejected, or approved subject to certain requirements being met once building work has started. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) added the updates were part of the improvements being made by the regulator to “ensure applications can be processed more efficiently”.
“They also support industry in submitting high-quality building control applications.”
You can view the latest transparency data for building control approval applications here.