Building Safety Regulator approvals, what the numbers say after a year

England’s new building control regime set out to improve rigour and transparency, but a year of official stats (Government source) reveals surging demand, mounting pressure, and slower decision-making.

• Applications are up sevenfold: from 69 in Q4 ’23 to 488 by the end of ’24. Caseloads jumped from 69 to over 1,000.
• Decisions aren’t keeping up: just 19 were made in Q4 2023, rising to 258 by Q4 2024, but open cases still ballooned from 50 to 763. Three out of four now go unresolved each quarter.
• Approvals remain rare: In Q4 2023, 84% of decisions were “invalid”; by Q4 2024, invalids made up 30% (better), but approvals just 39%.
• Timeliness is falling: A year ago, and with smaller volumes, all decisions hit the statutory deadline; now, just 34% do, with 145 late in the latest quarter.
• Waiting times have soared: The median wait for any decision rose from 3.3 weeks to 13.9 weeks, and for approvals, from 13.7 to 20.4 weeks.

What’s driving these trends?

As you would probably guess, the data points to a system under pressure from a dramatic rise in demand and ongoing adjustment to new standards.

High invalid rates raise questions about guidance, clarity, and process complexity. Contributing factors include incomplete or poor documentation, failure to demonstrate compliance, unclear or evolving guidance, higher and more complex requirements, lack of understanding, resource constraints, and ongoing regulatory change.

All things considered, these trends reflect both system-wide and operational challenges, as well as the steep learning curve (for everyone) of a major regulatory shift.

With timeliness slipping and a growing backlog, ongoing analysis and serious review of these metrics is vital to drive improvement.

Practical advice for clients

1. Prioritise early, expert input. Don’t guess or hope.  Engage building safety specialists at project inception. Early involvement helps identify requirements and develop a clear compliance strategy before design freezes or contractor appointments, reducing the risk of invalid or delayed submissions.
2. Prepare comprehensive, high-quality submissions.  We have seen some shocking examples that have received exactly the BSR responsed you would expect.  Every compliance aspect should be mapped to relevant regulations and standard, with explanations tailored to your project. Provide detailed, accurate, and complete documentation, including safety case reports, fire strategies, and competence records. Missing or unclear information is a leading cause of the invalid submissions metric.
3. Use structured checklists and cross-referencing A structured process is your friend here.  Detailed checklists mapping back each submission criterion to specific evidence and page numbers, making review easier and cutting down on bsr feedback requests.
4. Keep up to date with guidance.  Monitor updates to BSR’s guidance and requirements. Ensure all team members are briefed on the latest standards to avoid outdated or non-compliant approaches.
5. Demonstrate competence and good management. Document and evidence the competence of all dutyholders and the robust management systems for safety throughout the building lifecycle.
6. Plan for longer timescales. Given the current data, factor in extended BSR review periods and requests for further information when defining project timelines, especially for higher-risk buildings.

Speak to enevo Building Safety!

• We can help identify gaps and risks before submission, and set up the “golden thread” of safety-critical information from the outset.
• Application preparation and audit – we can prepare and audit submission materials using structured checklists and cross-references to ensure clarity, completeness, and project-specific tailoring.
• Ongoing regulatory monitoring – we keep clients updated on evolving guidance and requirements, supporting ongoing compliance.
• Competence and training support – we can assess and document dutyholder competence and offer guidance, training, or support where needed.

For clients navigating the current landscape, getting the basics right (early expert advice, thorough preparation, and ongoing attention to compliance) is essential for keeping your project moving in a challenging environment and not becoming another unwanted statistic.