BuildInside the BSR Bottleneck: Why Progress on High-Rise Housing Is Stuck in Slow Motioning
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was created to bring a new era of accountability and safety to the construction industry. Yet, as the system settles into practice, a worrying trend is emerging: the process designed to make buildings safer is now holding many of them back.
Across the country, developers are facing long waits at Gateway 2, the stage that determines whether a high-rise project can proceed to construction. What should take a few weeks often drags on for months — leaving cranes idle, budgets strained, and investors increasingly uneasy.
A System Under Pressure
At the heart of the issue lies the BSR’s new approval regime for higher-risk buildings. In theory, it’s a vital safeguard: no project can begin without full proof of safety and design compliance. In practice, it’s proving far more complex.
Applications are piling up, with many sent back for revisions due to missing details or unclear documentation. Some developers admit they’re still learning what “good” looks like under the new rules. Others say the goalposts keep shifting — that guidance remains open to interpretation, and expectations vary between assessors.
The BSR, meanwhile, faces its own constraints. Limited staffing and high workloads mean that approvals take longer than anyone anticipated. The result is a growing backlog, one that’s rippling through the entire construction sector.
When Safety Meets Stalemate
No one disputes the importance of safety. The BSR’s mission — to ensure buildings are designed and built responsibly — is both necessary and overdue. But the unintended consequence of this rigorous process is a slowdown that the industry can ill afford.
High-rise developments, particularly residential ones, play a crucial role in addressing the UK’s housing shortage. When they stall, the effects are felt well beyond construction sites: local economies slow, investors lose confidence, and housing delivery targets drift further out of reach.
Developers face rising costs as delays stretch project timelines. Financing becomes more expensive, labour and materials are locked in limbo, and in some cases, the numbers simply stop adding up.
Adapting to a New Reality
Both regulators and industry professionals agree on one thing: this is a period of adjustment. The BSR is still scaling up its team and refining its internal processes. New guidance — such as allowing staged submissions — is being introduced to ease pressure and reduce rejections.
For developers and design teams, the message is clear: preparation and precision matter more than ever. Gateway 2 submissions must be complete, consistent, and fully aligned with the BSR’s expectations. Early engagement, specialist advice, and robust documentation can make the difference between approval and delay.
Finding the Balance
The BSR’s approach represents a major cultural shift — one that asks the industry to take greater responsibility for demonstrating safety and competence. It’s a shift worth making, but it comes with growing pains.
The challenge now is to find equilibrium: a system that protects people without paralysing progress. Regulation and construction must move forward together, not at odds.
If the regulator can strengthen capacity, clarify expectations, and communicate more consistently — and if developers raise the quality of submissions in response — there’s every reason to believe the system can evolve into something both safe and efficient.
The Bottom Line
The BSR bottleneck isn’t just a bureaucratic snag — it’s a signal of deeper transformation. The construction industry is learning to operate in a new era of scrutiny, transparency, and accountability. But for now, too many projects are stuck in slow motion.
To keep Britain building, the next stage of reform must focus not only on safety but also on speed, clarity, and collaboration. Because true progress means more than compliance — it means homes, communities, and trust built on solid ground.