The median time for Gateway 2 approval of new high-rise buildings and conversions has fallen to 20 weeks, down from 23 weeks in the previous reporting period, according to the latest figures reported by Construction Enquirer.
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) approved 40 of 42 new-build and conversion applications in the 12 weeks to 1 November. The applications covered 9,453 homes. However, 183 applications covering 39,843 homes remained in progress at the end of the period.
The figures follow a sharp fall in new submissions after the Building Safety Levy came into force on 1 October. Developers submitted 64 applications in September, compared with six in October. The BSR believes the decline reflects a dip after a rush to submit schemes before the levy took effect.
Applications fall after pre-levy surge
The number of applications received in October was markedly lower than in September. The BSR has attributed the change to the easing of the pre-levy surge, rather than a lasting indication of application levels.
The increase in submissions ahead of 1 October had put pressure on the regulator’s capacity. Incoming schemes were outpacing decisions, prompting the BSR to bolster its teams and triage applications.
That surge is now reflected in the gap between applications received and decisions made across the latest rolling period. The BSR received 96 applications, while making 42 decisions. Despite the shorter median approval time, the number of applications still in progress remains substantial.
The latest figures are available in the BSR’s building control approval application data for August to October 2026. The regulator’s official GOV.UK page provides further information about its role and guidance.
Complex applications continue to take longer
The improvement in the overall median does not apply equally across all cases. Approval times for complex schemes stand at 35 weeks, and 35 complex applications were still being assessed.
The distinction is relevant for developers and construction teams tracking approval timetables. The 20-week median covers new-build and conversion applications in the reported group; complex cases continue to take longer. The queue also includes applications at different stages of assessment, so the median approval time should be considered alongside the number of cases still in progress.
For projects awaiting a decision, the latest figures provide an update on the regulator’s pace of approvals, but do not indicate when any individual application will be determined. The remaining workload and the imbalance between incoming applications and decisions show that the system continues to process a sizeable pipeline.
Legacy remediation cases reduced
The BSR has also reduced its outstanding legacy remediation applications dating from 2024 to five, from 42 at the start of the year. Four of the five relate to a single development. The regulator was targeting clearance of all five by the end of November.
Those legacy applications are part of a wider workload of 292 active remediation cases. The latest update therefore records progress on older outstanding applications while showing that remediation work remains in the regulator’s active caseload.
Across all Gateway 2 categories, the BSR approved 370 of 403 applications, giving an overall approval rate of 92%. This total covers a broader set of applications than the new-build and conversion figures, which relate to the 12 weeks to 1 November.
The reduction in the median approval time is a positive change in the latest reporting period, but the figures also show continuing pressure from the queue of applications in progress. The fall in October submissions followed the start of the levy, while the volume of cases awaiting decisions and the longer times for complex schemes remain important factors for project teams monitoring the approvals process.
The government’s Building Safety Levy guidance sets out information on the levy, which came into force on 1 October. The BSR’s data provides a snapshot of applications and decisions around that change; future reporting periods will show how the figures develop after the initial post-levy dip.
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