The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has signed off more than 11,000 Gateway 2 homes since August — almost halving its backlog of older cases — yet the body remains behind the pace it set for itself two months ago. Nearly 10,000 approvals were made in the last 12 weeks alone, signaling forward momentum, but the regulator is still falling short of the trajectory it outlined in October to clear all outstanding new-build applications by early 2026.
The BSR said it expected to make 77 decisions on long-standing cases by the end of November, leaving just 14 to resolve across December and January. New transparency data to 24 November shows the reality is far off that mark: only 29 cases have been decided so far. Even adding the nine said to be “on the cusp” of approval leaves the regulator at less than half its target.
A BSR spokesperson stressed to Inside Housing that the most delayed applications are also the most challenging. “Cases which have been in the system for some time are complex, and often require extensive liaison with the applicant,” they said. October’s forecasts, they added, were contingent on case-specific issues being resolved. “Based on recent performance, we remain confident that our key milestones are achievable… we remain cautiously optimistic.”
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BSR chief executive Charlie Pugsley also insisted the regulator is still on track to clear most of the outstanding cases by the end of December, pointing to new internal changes aimed at speeding up decision-making.
Last week’s update shows 217 cases have now moved through the batching process. Meanwhile the BSR’s new innovation unit is handling more than double the number of applications it previously managed, covering around 17,000 homes.
For a system still bedding in, these are meaningful steps. But the regulator remains in a race against its own targets and a sector eager for clarity. Developers, councils and housing associations are all watching for signs that Gateway 2 decisions can move at a pace that supports delivery, rather than slowing it.
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However, data also showed that the number of new build applications waiting for approval had increased month on month, going from 152 cases in October to 167.
Dominic Curran, director at the British Property Federation, said: “The latest data from the BSR is, on the face of it, good news.
“However, it appears to show 61,000 homes awaiting a decision, up from 55,000 last month.
“This doesn’t bode well for the ambition to clear the backlog by the end of the year.
“It would be a wonderful Christmas present if they could, but it appears that the target is slipping out of reach.”
