2 min read
The Building Safety Regulator has announced a change of direction as it prepares to become a standalone body, signalling the closure of its most challenging legacy Gateway 2 cases. With 29 long running schemes still unresolved, the BSR is now prepared to reject applications that cannot be fully resolved within the next one to two months.
At DMWR Architects, we see this as a clear reminder of the critical role that complete and technically robust design information plays in navigating the new building safety landscape.
Key industry takeaways
- Developers behind schemes with major information gaps may now be required to restart submissions entirely.
- The move supports the long-term transition toward a single construction regulator, a key recommendation from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
- Legacy newbuild cases have already reduced from 81 to 29, and Gateway 2 decision-making has accelerated significantly, with 673 decisions issued in Q4 2025 alone.
Despite this progress, one challenge remains consistent:
Over 50% of applications to the BSR Innovation Unit are failing due to missing, fundamental design information.
Source: Construction Enquirer
Our perspective at DMWR
As Gateway 2 begins to mature, the message from the Regulator is loud and clear:
- Design teams must frontload technical detail.
- Early collaboration between architects, fire engineers and principal designers is no longer optional — it is essential.
- Application quality must keep pace with regulatory expectations.
- Supply Chains must be robust and therefore so must the relationships and agreements between the principal contractors and their suppliers.
- Designers (including specialist subcontractors taking on Contractor Design Portions), need to be ready to react once their GW2 applications are in. Often there can be as little as a day to respond to the Regulator, and that means the team need to be on standby and ready to work together to address any RFIs from the BSR.
We continue to work closely with clients and project partners to ensure that our Gateway submissions are comprehensive, coordinated and fully aligned with BSR requirements. As acting CEO Charlie Pugsley noted from Construction Enquirer, this marks a “significant new chapter” for the Regulator — and for everyone involved in shaping safer buildings.
At DMWR, we’re committed to supporting our clients through this transition and championing design quality that stands up to the highest levels of scrutiny. Currently, our team have submitted 27 Gateway 2 applications and received 5 approvals, we are also now working through a number of Gateway 3 applications.
