Batching process boosts gateway two approvals

The rate of gateway two approvals has risen to 67 per cent after the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) introduced its outsourced “batching” model to process applications.

Initial data from a pilot shows that processing times under the ‘batching model’ are “significantly quicker” than the previous multidisciplinary team (MDT) model, the BSR said in its latest gateway two update.

The new process groups together some building control applications, which are then dealt with by “specialised external suppliers” faster than the MDT model. The BSR said that it maintains “full regulatory oversight”.

Under this model, the median time from a case being issued to a supplier to them returning a full assessment was four weeks across the new-build, remediation and refurbishment categories, the BSR said.

The pilot batching process was launched in September after the original MDT model was unable to cope with the volume of cases across all application categories.

The first of these mixed-category bundles, with 26 cases, was sent to suppliers on 30 September. Subsequent bundles were dispatched weekly based on supplier capacity.

Once suppliers receive a batch, they have a limited time to accept or reject the cases in the allocation based on their capacity and any conflicts of interest.

Once accepted, suppliers then have a defined period to return their assessments for consideration by BSR’s regulatory leads.

The batching model was introduced to resolve the backlog in new-build and remediation applications.

In January, the regulator missed its target to clear its backlog of legacy gateway two building control applications, covering 22,000 homes, because of some stubborn legacy cases.

But in its latest update, the BSR said that legacy cases have been reduced to two, with 13 “technically complex applications” now transferred to a complex case process.

Charlie Pugsley, acting chief executive officer of the BSR, said: “To manage applications – particularly the intense demand we are seeing in London, which accounts for six in ten of our gateway two decisions – our batching pilot is proving highly effective.

“By collaborating with specialised external engineering suppliers, we are significantly accelerating processing times, while maintaining our rigorous regulatory oversight.

“Speed can never come at the cost of safety. Our goal continues to be to ensure industry can construct safe buildings and that residents see the essential safety improvements they deserve.”