Transparency data
Building control approval application data October 2025
Updated 12 November 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-regulator-building-control-approval-application-data-october-2025/building-control-approval-application-data-october-2025
All data is correct as of 1 October 2025 and provided by the Building Safety Regulator.
Gateway 2: Priority headline numbers
New build
Total number of new build applications 152
Total number of units new build applications 33,670
Remediation
Total number of remediation applications 253
Total number of units remediation applications 22,304
Commentary
- This document tracks the live gateway 2 applications within BSR’s system, focusing on remediation and new build cases.
- While BSR manages other functions (for example, refurbishment and building certification), which also impacts capacity, BSR prioritises new build applications and has a focus on remediation as national priorities.
- The following information analyses these applications by region and process type to highlight areas of progress and identify remaining challenges, along with BSR’s proposed plan to address them.
Gateway 2: Regional distribution
Regional gateway 2 applications (London)
| Region | Innovation Unit (IU) | Previous Model | Remediation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 15 | 51 | 134 | 200 |
| Rest of Country | 9 | 40 | 126 | 175 |
Regional gateway 2 applications (excluding London)
| Region | Innovation Unit (IU) | Previous Model | Remediation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | 0 | 2 | 11 | 13 |
| East Midlands | 0 | 2 | 16 | 18 |
| North East | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| North West | 4 | 10 | 34 | 48 |
| South East | 1 | 6 | 17 | 24 |
| South West | 1 | 9 | 6 | 16 |
| West Midlands | 0 | 4 | 11 | 15 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 3 | 4 | 24 | 31 |
Commentary
- The chart titled ‘Regional gateway 2 applications (London)’ shows the national and London breakdown of gateway 2 new build and remediation cases.
- The centralised Innovation Unit (IU) is currently meeting or exceeding service level agreements (SLAs) on new build applications. Future updates will integrate data on the new batched applications process.
- While new build applications remain a priority, a dedicated remediation resourcing model is being developed (including batching and a potential new centralised team) to address the backlog. This will inform future data reporting.
- The remainder of this document offers detailed, national and London specific progress commentary based on these headline number.
Gateway 2: New build applications
| New build application type | Count |
|---|---|
| Innovation Unit (IU) | 27 |
| Previous model | 91 |
| Transitional higher-risk buildings (HRBs) | 34 |
| Total | 152 |
Commentary
- There are currently 152 national new build applications in gateway 2, (comprising 33,670 housing units).
- The newly-established Innovation Unit (IU) manages 27 of these applications (comprising 6,192 housing units) and is currently meeting the 12-week SLA.
- A plan is under development to conclude the 91 applications which are in the previous model, by 31 December 2025 (comprising 21,745 housing units).
- In relation to the transitional HRB applications (buildings started under old regulations), a request was resubmitted on 30 September for ministerial decision to safely return 27 buildings to the previous regime for completion.
- BSR will retain the remaining buildings for completion under gateway 2 and gateway 3 due to life-safety critical defects preventing occupation.
Gateway 2: Building control: New build (previous model) – national
New in versus decisions
| Date (week commencing) | New in | Decisions | Total live applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 2025 | 4 | 0 | 115 |
| 14 July 2025 | 5 | 2 | 118 |
| 21 July 2025 | 0 | 2 | 116 |
| 28 July 2025 | 0 | 10 | 106 |
| 4 August 2025 | 0 | 2 | 104 |
| 11 August 2025 | 0 | 0 | 104 |
| 18 August 2025 | 0 | 2 | 102 |
| 25 August 2025 | 0 | 0 | 102 |
| 1 September 2025 | 0 | 1 | 101 |
| 8 September 2025 | 0 | 5 | 96 |
| 15 September 2025 | 0 | 1 | 95 |
| 22 September 2025 | 0 | 2 | 91 |
Commentary
- The table confirms the focused effort on the backlog within the previous model and has seen a downward trend in case numbers since mid-July 2025.
- The next section details BSR’s comprehensive plan and anticipated trajectory for resolving these applications by 31 December 2025, including a clear analysis of current blockers.
Building control: New build (previous model) decisions and blockers – national
Estimated decision by month
| Month | Number of estimated decisions |
|---|---|
| October 2025 | 28 |
| November 2025 | 49 |
| December 2025 | 11 |
| January 2026 | 3 |
Blockers
| Type of blocker | Total |
|---|---|
| Applicant | 11 |
| Building Safety Regulator | 2 |
| Building inspector | 27 |
| Computational fluid dynamics | 5 |
| Fire engineer | 8 |
| Fire inspector | 2 |
| Statutory fire consultation | 9 |
| Structural engineer | 10 |
| No blocker | 25 |
Commentary
- The chart titled ‘Estimated decisions by month’ shows that the 91 historic applications (comprising 21,745 housing units) are actively progressing. We project the majority will conclude by December, with the final 3 cases closing in January 2026. This projection is based on experience to date, dependent on continued progress and, in many cases, relevant and timely information being provided by applicants.
- The total number of identified ‘blockers’ (outlined in the table titled ‘Blockers’) is greater than the number of applications, as many cases face multiple impediments (staff availability, complex decisions, information needs from applicant or BSR).
- There is currently a challenge around availability of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) expertise, an example of BSR having to move at pace to address new challenges.
- Our immediate focus (through to December 2025) is a bespoke plan to address specific blockers within each application to drive final decisions, including the rapid deployment of resources to address new challenges like the need for CFD expertise.
Building control: New build (previous model) – London
New in versus decisions
| Date (week commencing) | New in | Decisions | Total live applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 2025 | 2 | 0 | 55 |
| 14 July 2025 | 4 | 2 | 57 |
| 21 July 2025 | 0 | 0 | 57 |
| 28 July 2025 | 0 | 0 | 57 |
| 4 August 2025 | 0 | 2 | 55 |
| 11 August 2025 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 18 August 2025 | 0 | 1 | 54 |
| 25 August 2025 | 0 | 0 | 54 |
| 1 September 2025 | 0 | 0 | 54 |
| 8 September 2025 | 0 | 2 | 52 |
| 15 September 2025 | 0 | 0 | 52 |
| 22 September 2025 | 0 | 0 | 51 |
Commentary
- The table shows the reduction of applications within the previous model in London. Although the closure rate since July 2025 is below the national average, the total is decreasing.
- There is a clear operational focus on the 51 remaining applications to ensure they are fully resolved by the end of the calendar year.
- The following information details the comprehensive plan and projected trajectory to achieve this target, including an analysis of the specific blockers impeding progress in London.
Building control: New build (previous model) decisions and blockers – London
Estimated decision by month
| Month | Number of estimated decisions |
|---|---|
| October 2025 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 21 |
| December 2025 | 6 |
| January 2026 | 2 |
Blockers
| Type of blocker | Total |
|---|---|
| Applicant | 10 |
| Building Safety Regulator | 2 |
| Building inspector | 15 |
| Computational fluid dynamics | 4 |
| Fire engineer | 5 |
| Fire inspector | 1 |
| Statutory fire consultation | 3 |
| Structural engineer | 9 |
| No blocker | 8 |
Commentary
- Mirroring national data, we have a clear understanding of applications in London, their status and specific blockers.
- The persistent national skills shortage for suitably competent technical expertise remains an external variable that BSR must work hard to mitigate, as it remains a risk for unexpected delays.
- Despite this external challenge, increased focus and agile problem-solving have instilled growing operational leadership confidence that projected milestones for London applications remain achievable.
Innovation Unit (IU): Milestone performance – national
Summary of milestone performance
| Stage of approval | Ahead of schedule | On schedule | Behind schedule | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Validation | 18 | 10 | 5 | 33 |
| Initial multi-disciplinary team (MDT) | 20 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| Second MDT | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Third MDT | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Fire consultation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Final decision | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Median working days to complete each milestone versus target
| Stage of approval | Median days decision milestone was completed | Target days to reach milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Validation | 3 | 4 |
| Initial multi-disciplinary team (MDT) | 12 | 20 |
| Second MDT | 22 | 33 |
| Third MDT | 30 | 45 |
| Fire consultation | 0 | 60 |
| Final decision | 22 | 65 |
Commentary
-
The recent creation of the Innovation Unit (IU) has allowed BSR to proactively manage gateway 2 applications, leveraging a dedicated team of registered building inspectors (RBIs) and technical engineers to positive effect.
-
The chart titled ‘Summary of milestone performance’ tracks decision status for all IU applications (comprising 7,535 housing units), showing the unit is successfully meeting or exceeding the 12-week SLA.
-
In a clear measure of efficiency, the chart titled ‘Median working days to complete each milestone versus target’ demonstrates the average working days required for each stage of the approval process is better than the established targets.
-
No applications have reached the separate statutory fire and rescue service consultation process as of yet.
Innovation Unit (IU): Milestone performance – London
Summary of milestone performance
| Stage of approval | Ahead of schedule | On schedule | Behind schedule | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Validation | 10 | 7 | 2 | 19 |
| Initial multi-disciplinary team (MDT) | 12 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| Second MDT | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Third MDT | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Fire consultation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Final decision | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Median working days to complete each milestone versus target
| Stage of approval | Median days decision milestone was completed | Target days to reach milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Validation | 3 | 4 |
| Initial multi-disciplinary team (MDT) | 12 | 20 |
| Second MDT | 26.5 | 33 |
| Third MDT | 33 | 45 |
| Fire consultation | 0 | 60 |
| Final decision | 22 | 65 |
Commentary
- Following on from the previous information, this breaks down the Innovation Unit (IU) numbers and progress for London.
- The chart titled ‘Summary of milestone performance’ shows the progress and breakdown of decisions across the 19 applications (comprising 3,439 housing units ) in the IU at each stage. Most applications are meeting or exceeding the 12-week SLA.
Building control: Remediation gateway 2 – national
New in versus decisions
| Date (week commencing) | New in | Decisions | Total live applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 2025 | 8 | 2 | 251 |
| 14 July 2025 | 11 | 11 | 251 |
| 21 July 2025 | 5 | 4 | 252 |
| 28 July 2025 | 9 | 9 | 252 |
| 4 August 2025 | 10 | 10 | 252 |
| 11 August 2025 | 6 | 12 | 246 |
| 18 August 2025 | 10 | 8 | 248 |
| 25 August 2025 | 4 | 3 | 249 |
| 1 September 2025 | 6 | 1 | 254 |
| 8 September 2025 | 7 | 2 | 259 |
| 15 September 2025 | 9 | 3 | 265 |
| 22 September 2025 | 4 | 9 | 253 |
Commentary
- National remediation application numbers are holding steady, with new applications broadly matching rates of final decisions.
- Like new build, a volume of historic applications requires urgent resolution, and the existing multi-disciplinary team (MDT) model is ineffective for these cases.
- To accelerate progress beyond the current rate, the MDT model must be structurally changed. Initial steps include batching some cases, but greater, centrally controlled capacity is required specifically for remediation.
- Planning has begun for a centralised Remediation Unit (like the Innovation Unit). The primary challenge is the national lack of qualified expertise, compounded by recent heavy BSR recruitment for the new build central team.
- BSR senior leadership is urgently exploring better process alignment and/or integration with Homes England to improve remediation efficiency and enhance the experience for residents and leaseholders.
Building control: Remediation gateway 2 – London
New in versus decisions
| Date (week commencing) | New in | Decisions | Total live applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 2025 | 5 | 0 | 140 |
| 14 July 2025 | 3 | 5 | 138 |
| 21 July 2025 | 3 | 2 | 139 |
| 28 July 2025 | 2 | 4 | 137 |
| 4 August 2025 | 4 | 7 | 134 |
| 11 August 2025 | 0 | 6 | 128 |
| 18 August 2025 | 4 | 2 | 130 |
| 25 August 2025 | 0 | 1 | 129 |
| 1 September 2025 | 3 | 0 | 132 |
| 8 September 2025 | 5 | 2 | 135 |
| 15 September 2025 | 5 | 1 | 139 |
| 22 September 2025 | 1 | 6 | 128 |
Commentary
- Remediation numbers in London mirror the national trend, despite a clear focus from the remediation team, acknowledging the scale and risk of unremediated buildings in London.
- Given the challenges, a more centralised and better-resourced approach is necessary, as outlined in the national portfolio commentary, to significantly increase the processing speed of London’s remediation applications.
Building control: Batching pilot
| Batch 1 | Cases (resource requested) |
|---|---|
| Remediation | 6 full MDT 4 RBI/structural engineer Total package = 10 |
| Category A: refurbishments | Additional package = 16 16 structural engineers only |
Commentary
-
Due to demand across all application types (remediation, new build, refurbishment), a new batching process was started in September 2025 to scale capacity without risking the IU’s current success.
-
The first of these mixed-category bundles (26 cases) was sent to engineering services suppliers on 30 September; the second is ready for dispatch the week of 6 October.
-
Weekly dispatch of subsequent bundles will be based on verified supplier capacity.
-
The primary goal of batching is to accelerate backlog resolution in new build and remediation applications, thereby creating sustainable future capacity.
-
Future reports will track the progress of all applications processed through this new system.