After early Gateway 2 applications faced long delays, Ballymore’s Stevan Tennant shares how the process is improving. With clearer guidance and greater consistency from the Building Safety Regulator, approval times have dropped dramatically, signalling renewed confidence for high-rise delivery.

 

In February 2024, Ballymore submitted its first Gateway 2 application to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). At the time, we were cautious about how long the process might take, but confident nonetheless, given our long track record in delivering high-rise buildings, and the capability of our multi-disciplinary design team.

Little did we know the approval process would take a slow and painful 65 weeks.

We were not alone. The uncertainty around approval timescales sent shockwaves through the industry, contributing to historically low levels of new home starts, while investors and developers began exiting the high-risk building market. The shift has been so fundamental that funders now require Gateway 2 approval before deploying capital - planning consent is no longer the major milestone it once was.

Fast forward two years and, to the BSR’s credit, much has changed. Our most recent application was approved in just 63 days, including the statutory fire approval period.

So what changed? For a start, we learned a great deal - both directly and through extensive industry engagement. Meetings, conferences and roundtables have all played their part. The BSR has also evolved. There has been no reduction in rigour or compromise, but there is now far greater consistency, focus and clarity. The new leadership at the BSR has been transformational and offers real grounds for renewed optimism.

Information requests are clearer and more proportionate. Gone are the questions about future skirting board colour choices or lift signage, replaced by a genuine focus on enabling delivery and driving projects forward.

Staged Gateway 2 applications are also encouraging and could help narrow the gap between planning and site start. This is particularly important while the time and cost differential between high-risk and non-high-risk buildings remains a significant barrier to bringing forward new high-density schemes.

Gateway 3 remains a concern - and a challenge for another day - but for now, let’s take the win and recognise the progress that’s been made.