New data reveals that less than a quarter of completed high-rise residential buildings that applied for final safety certification have received approval, raising fresh concerns over delays in the system.
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has confirmed that just seven out of 40 applications submitted in 2024 for Gateway 3—the final building safety stage required for occupancy—have been approved. Two applications have been rejected, while the remainder are still awaiting a decision.
Under the post-Grenfell regulatory framework, developers and firms undertaking remediation work on buildings taller than 18 metres must secure approval at three key ‘gateway’ stages. The delays at Gateway 3 follow industry concerns over similar slowdowns at Gateway 2, which governs the approval process required before construction begins.
Developers and Buyers Facing Uncertainty
Property developers and prospective homeowners are growing frustrated as completed high-rise projects remain unoccupied due to the backlog at Gateway 3. One buyer waiting to move into a new high-rise flat reported that their developer has been waiting since October for sign-off, with no clear timeline provided by the regulator.
Matt Voyce, Executive Director of Construction at high-rise developer Quintain, expressed his dissatisfaction with the regulator’s performance, calling the delays “unacceptable” and warning that they are deterring investment in residential development. He highlighted a 185-home scheme, including 104 affordable units, that remains empty due to pending approval. “These delays are creating a handbrake on residential investment and could impact the delivery of much-needed housing,” Voyce said.
Government Response and Industry Frustrations
In response to the growing crisis, the government recently allocated £2 million in funding to support the BSR’s efforts, including the establishment of a new cladding remediation enforcement unit. However, the regulator has admitted that its model of outsourcing application processing has not performed as expected, contributing to significant bottlenecks.
A spokesperson for the Health & Safety Executive, which oversees the BSR, acknowledged that projects inherited from the now-defunct private building control firm AIS have been delayed. However, they insisted that other applications are “progressing through their 8-week assessment period.” The BSR has also attributed delays to poor-quality applications submitted by developers.
Industry leaders are calling for urgent reforms. Some developers have proposed funding an initiative to expedite Gateway 2 approvals, while trade bodies have warned that uncertainty in the process is causing investment delays and potential job losses within the sector.
With housing targets already under pressure, the industry is urging the regulator and government to accelerate the approval process to prevent further stagnation in residential development.
