CLC issues guidance to ease Gateway 2 applications for HRBs

In a bid to elevate the clarity, consistency, and speed of Building Control Approval (Gateway 2) applications, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has released a comprehensive Guidance Suite, developed with industry experts and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), specifically for new Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) in England.

The 34-page publication is composed of seven guidance notes, each offering actionable advice for professionals crafting and evaluating Gateway 2 submissions.

1. The Building Safety Regime for a new HRB is a visual roadmap through the three-stage safety process: Planning (Gateway 1), Building Control Approval (Gateway 2), and Completion (Gateway 3).
2. Sufficient level of design clarifies the quality and detail of design data required to demonstrate regulatory compliance during Gateway 2.
3. Approval with requirements offers a structured way to secure conditional approval for elements pending further design, provided there's a clear submission plan.
4. The application information schedule encourages the use of a navigable schedule that links submitted documents to relevant regulatory criteria, improving transparency and efficiency.
5. The application project brief advises on crafting a concise but detailed project summary that helps the regulator assign the right multidisciplinary review team.
6. The application document management and submission lays out best practices in structuring folders, naming files, and submitting via the BSR’s portal to streamline the review process.
7. The application strategy for staged or multi-building applications guides preparatory strategy and early engagement for complex, phased, or multi-building projects.

Improved submission standards

Recent evidence indicates that a major cause of delays or rejection is insufficiently detailed applications – accounting for a large proportion of rejections. This guidance aims to equip building engineers with a roadmap to avoid such pitfalls.

By adopting tools like the Application Information Schedule and Project Brief, submissions become more intuitive for assessors – potentially halving review times from typical 40-48 week delays.

The Approval with Requirements model allows conditional approval for incomplete design areas – so long as the submitted plan demonstrates eventual compliance. This balances project momentum with safety obligations.

The CLC said the guidance promotes proactive, early-stage engagement with regulators – especially for staged or multi-building developments – enabling smoother coordination and resource allocation.

The Guidance Suite is available to download here.