As the Building Safety Regulator continues to review Gateway 2 submissions, recent outcomes provide useful insight into how applications are being assessed and where common issues arise.
End-of-year data shows a sustained focus on clarity, proportionality, and evidence-based decision-making, particularly for complex and high-risk buildings. While many submissions are progressing successfully, a notable number continue to be delayed or refused due to avoidable issues in access, maintenance, and safety strategy definition.
For project teams, these trends reinforce the importance of early, structured specialist input.
Recent decisions highlight several recurring factors influencing Gateway outcomes:
Early-stage clarity matters
Submissions that clearly define access and maintenance strategies from the outset are progressing more smoothly through review.
Late changes carry risk
Design or strategy amendments introduced late in the process continue to be a major cause of delay.
Evidence is critical
Recommendations must be technically justified, proportionate, and clearly evidenced — assumptions without explanation are increasingly challenged.
Proportionality is under scrutiny
Over-specification and under-specification are both being questioned, with regulators expecting solutions aligned to actual maintenance need and risk profile.
Access, maintenance, and façade safety considerations sit at the intersection of design intent, long-term operation, and statutory compliance.
Where these strategies are not clearly defined, regulators may seek further clarification on:
How maintenance will be safely undertaken
Whether proposed systems are suitable for long-term use
How risks have been reduced so far as reasonably practicable
Clear, proportionate access strategies help demonstrate that safety has been considered as part of the building’s lifecycle — not retrofitted for approval.
Projects that engage competent specialist consultancy early are better placed to:
Identify access and maintenance risks before submission
Avoid reactive redesign late in the programme
Provide regulator-ready information with clear rationale
Maintain programme certainty through Gateway review
Early engagement supports informed decision-making, rather than last-minute justification.
BSR FAST provides independent access, safety, and Building Safety consultancy, supporting project teams in developing clear, proportionate, and compliant strategies.
Our advice helps ensure that information submitted at Gateway stage is:
Technically justified
Clearly explained
Suitable for regulator review
This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute project-specific advice.
BSR FAST provides consultancy services only. No installation, construction, or physical works are undertaken.
