Recent figures released by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) underscore the considerable challenges currently facing the UK construction industry. Data indicates that as many as 75% of high-rise residential buildings are failing to comply with the latest building safety requirements. This situation raises profound concerns for asset owners, developers, and residents alike.
Safety Case Submissions Under Review
Of the 1,454 high-risk buildings for which owners have submitted mandatory safety case reports, the BSR has thus far reviewed 170. Alarmingly, 125 of these reviews identified shortcomings against the required standards. Consequently, legal enforcement notices have been served on the respective owners, compelling them to take immediate action to address significant safety deficiencies.
These deficiencies range from incomplete safety assessments and absent resident engagement strategies to structural and compartmentation shortcomings necessitating extensive remedial works. The findings serve to emphasise that compliance extends well beyond documentation and requires substantive safety management and robust construction practice.
Delays in Gateway Approvals
The BSR’s first formal performance update also draws attention to a growing backlog in planning approvals. Developers are currently experiencing an average waiting period of 36 weeks for Gateway decisions, a delay three times longer than the stated 12-week target. Between late 2023 and early 2025, 2,108 applications were lodged, yet only 338 received approval.
Although recent improvements are reported, with the volume of approvals beginning to outpace incoming applications, the prolonged delays have created uncertainty across the development sector.
Strengthening the Role of the Regulator
In response, structural reforms are being advanced. The BSR, formerly part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is in the process of being reconstituted as a standalone authority. Furthermore, a dedicated Innovation Unit has been established with the aim of accelerating approvals, particularly for schemes that demonstrate exemplary safety strategies or utilise modern methods of construction.
To strengthen technical scrutiny, the regulator is also undertaking the recruitment of experienced engineers and building safety professionals following concerns regarding the expertise applied in earlier reviews.
The Role of John Burke Associates
At John Burke Associates Ltd, we recognise both the complexity and the urgency of the evolving building safety regime. As a practice of Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Building Consultants, and Clerks of Works, we provide independent, authoritative, and technically rigorous advice to clients across the private, commercial, and public sectors.
Our services are directed towards ensuring that clients are fully prepared to meet the latest requirements:
- Regulatory Navigation – guiding clients through the intricacies of the BSR framework, ensuring that safety case reports, documentation, and resident engagement strategies achieve compliance.
- Technical Oversight and Quality Assurance – delivering Clerk of Works services that provide independent inspections, identify non-conformities, and safeguard construction quality.
- Risk and Compliance Management – advising on remedial solutions for existing buildings while ensuring new developments are designed and executed to the highest safety standards.
- Comprehensive Expertise – drawing upon more than four decades of experience to provide clarity, continuity, and assurance across complex projects nationwide.
By engaging John Burke Associates, clients benefit from a trusted partner committed to ensuring that their projects achieve not only legislative compliance but also long-term safety, resilience, and value.