Why it changed
The Building Safety Act 2022 followed the Grenfell Tower fire and the Hackitt review. It reforms how the safest outcomes are secured for tall residential buildings, and it raises standards for building work more generally.
The three gateways
- Gateway 1 (planning stage): a fire statement with relevant planning applications, in place since August 2021. See planning gateway one.
- Gateway 2 (before construction): building control approval from the Building Safety Regulator. Work cannot start until it is granted.
- Gateway 3 (completion): a completion certificate must be issued before the building can be occupied.
For all building work
New dutyholder duties, including client, principal designer and principal contractor, apply to building regulations compliance on all projects, not just tall buildings. Building control inspectors and approvers must now be registered with the Regulator.
What it means for programmes
For taller residential schemes, Gateway 2 adds significant time before work can start, and the design must be developed in much more detail before submission. Plan for it early, alongside the planning application.
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Sources
- Building Safety Act 2022
- GOV.UK: Fire safety and high-rise residential buildings (planning gateway one)
This article is general information about planning in England at the date shown. It is not advice on any particular site, and the law and policy may have changed since. Please speak to us before relying on it.