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Published: 09/06/2026
Building control approval rates rise as regulator performance improves
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) made 358 decisions on applications for building control approval in the 12 weeks to 30 May 2026, new data has shown(1).
This was up on the 323 decisions recorded in the previous reporting period, which covered the 12 weeks to 1 May 2026.
The latest data also confirmed that 750 new applications were submitted for building control approval in the same period, bringing the total number of live applications across all project categories to 1,445 as of 30 May.
Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS, said: ‘Application processing at the BSR continues to show signs of improvement. The latest data indicate that approval rates are increasing, while decision times have fallen in several areas, suggesting that measures to address capacity constraints are having a positive effect.
‘Although there is still work to do to reduce the backlog and improve certainty for applicants, these trends suggest the system is moving in the right direction. Maintaining this momentum will be crucial if applications are to be processed more quickly and the wider impact of delays to decision making for higher-risk buildings (HRBs) is to be reduced.’
The median time taken to reach decisions on approved applications was 32 weeks in the 12 weeks to 30 May, down from 35 weeks in the previous reporting period. Application approval rate also improved, rising to 75% from 71%.
Decisions on rejected applications took a median of 25 weeks, while complex cases – where account managers work more closely with applicants to achieve a successful outcome – took 33 weeks.
This data relates to applications submitted for building control approval – a statutory requirement for work on HRBs to pass the regulatory stop/go point known as gateway 2.
Applications for building control approval are used by the BSR to assess compliance with building regulations, project management due diligence and the competency of project teams(2).
Data by application type
As of 30 May 2026, the BSR was processing 178 live applications for new build projects.
The majority (122) are being handled by the BSR’s Innovation Unit (IU). A further 14 are being managed as complex cases, five of which are legacy, long-term cases.
In the 12 weeks to 30 May, the IU received 64 new applications, made 31 decisions and approved 90% of applications processed. It took a median time of 22 weeks to approve applications and 28 weeks for rejections.
Source: BSR – Building control approval application data
By comparison, the BSR received 119 new remediation applications and made 67 decisions on remediation applications over the same period, with 359 live remediation applications recorded as of 30 May.
The median time to approve remediation applications decreased to 39 weeks, down from 46 weeks in the previous reporting period. Rejected remediation applications took a median time of 32 weeks to process, up from 25.
Reporting on data for remediation applications, the BSR said: ‘The 12-week approval rate has risen to 79% with the median approval time falling to 39 weeks as we successfully make decisions on older applications which have been in the system for some time.
‘16 legacy applications made in 2024 now remain, and approval rates in 2026 have exceeded the 65% target. A further 10 of the legacy 2024 applications are on track to be determined in June.
‘We also continue to work closely with the sector to help applicants improve the quality of applications and data shows that applications submitted in October to December 2025 are progressing through the system faster than earlier applications.’
London-based projects requiring building control approval account for a larger share of all Gateway 2 applications than those from the rest of England combined.
As of 30 May, the BSR was processing 295 London-based applications compared with 208 based across the rest of England. Across all regions, remediation applications outnumber those for new build.
In June 2026, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) published two new building safety guidance notes aimed at improving the quality of Gateway 2 applications and reducing the number of rejections(3).
Covering the Fire and Emergency File and the Building Regulations Compliance Statement, the guidance is designed to help applicants clearly articulate their design and technical approach and provide comprehensive evidence of risk assessment, particularly in relation to fire and structural safety.
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