Funding Gateway 2

Summary

Developers may fund pre-application process to alleviate the building safety “gateway 2” bottleneck. This could streamline approvals for higher-risk buildings. The proposal aims to address industry concerns and speed up construction projects. Government funding has already been allocated to tackle the backlog.

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** Main Story**

Okay, so you’ve probably heard about the bottleneck in the UK construction industry, specifically with ‘gateway 2’ of the building safety approval process. It’s a real headache for everyone involved. Basically, it’s all tied to the Building Safety Act 2022 and, while the intent is great, the delays are killing project timelines. The question then, is what can be done about it? Well, one potential solution that’s been floated around is having developers fund a pre-application process, which could, in theory, speed things up.

The Gateway 2 Problem: A Real Issue

The Building Safety Act 2022, which, let’s be honest, came about because of the Grenfell Tower disaster, aims to make things much safer when it comes to higher-risk buildings. Think buildings that are 18 meters or taller. Or buildings that have seven or more stories. This gateway process is a big part of that. Gateway 2, in particular, is where the technical design gets a really close look before any construction actually starts. You know, to catch any potential issues early.

Now, that’s great in theory. Except, what’s happening is, the wait times for approvals are just crazy long. And this is causing delays. Delays translate to money, and no one wants projects getting bogged down like that. I heard of one developer that was nearly bankrupted waiting for approval on a large building in London; and, it wasn’t even a complicated building! In short: something has to give.

Could Developers Pay Their Way Out of This?

So, the idea that’s been making the rounds is a developer-funded pre-application process. A little like the pre-application system that already exists for planning applications. Picture it this way: developers would essentially pay for early consultations with the building safety regulators. This will iron out any design kinks before the official submission hits their desk. It’s proactive. It’s supposed to cut down on formal review time, and it should prevent costly rework down the line.

Apparently, the CEO of McLaren, Paul Heather, brought it up as a way to keep these big projects afloat, the ones with multi-million-pound investments on the line. And, you know, it makes sense. Other industry folks seem to be on board too. I mean, who isn’t tired of these delays?

Pros, Cons, and a Bit of My Own Two Cents

Look, there are definitely pluses and minuses to this whole developer-funded thing. I’ll admit, I’m a bit torn.

On the one hand, getting feedback early from regulators? That’s gold. It can reduce the chances of getting rejected or having to make major changes later. Plus, if the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) gets more resources because of this, that means they can handle applications faster, and maybe get rid of that huge backlog. And the BSR employees could get extra training. I mean, that can only be a good thing right?

On the other hand, what about smaller developers? Can they even afford these pre-application fees? Are we creating a system where only the big guys can play? The government has to make sure it’s a level playing field. So, that’s something to watch out for. Personally, it seems that maybe a sliding scale might be in order here for payment, otherwise smaller companies could go out of business!

A Quick Look at the Bigger Picture

The Building Safety Act 2022, it’s kind of a big deal. It’s not just about this gateway process. It’s a total overhaul of how we do things. There are new roles and responsibilities for everyone involved, more oversight, and a push for residents to be more engaged. Seems like a good idea, but…

I mean there are, as of October 1, 2023, new definitions of what ‘commencement of work’ means and if you don’t get started within three years, those building control approvals? Gone. Plus, the requirements for sharing information with building control are way stricter. It’s all about accountability and transparency. It’s about time to, in my opinion.

And this isn’t just for those super tall buildings. These new regulations? They apply to all sorts of construction. It’s all about making sure everyone is following the rules. Anyway, as the industry adapts to all this, solutions like this developer-funded pre-application process could be key to making things safer and more efficient. But, as of today, February 24, 2025, it’s still just talk. Let’s see what happens. To be honest, it’s anyone’s guess!