Section 35: An Opportunity for Excellence
26 Aug 2026
Jason Foster, director of Building Safety at enevo, examines how the UK’s evolving building safety regime is reshaping HRB supply.
The UK’s high-rise sector continues to adapt to the most significant regulatory change in a generation. Since the introduction of the Building Safety Act (BSA), delivering a tall residential building is no longer solely a design and construction challenge. It is equally a test of governance, evidence management and regulatory compliance.
Developers now operate within an increasingly complex framework. The Building Safety Levy must be paid before building control approval and occupation. Meanwhile, the Leaseholder Remediation (Building Safety) Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, remains under debate and seeks to address gaps left by existing legislation, particularly for buildings under 11 metres. Wales has also introduced its own Building Safety (Wales) Act 2026, demonstrating that building safety reform continues to evolve across the UK.
Against this backdrop, project teams are recognising that compliance cannot be treated as a final-stage exercise. It must be embedded into projects from the outset.
There are signs that both industry and regulator are becoming more aligned. The median approval period for new HRBs currently stands at 23 weeks¹, creating a significant programme consideration for developers.
However, approval rates continue to improve. Gateway 2 approvals have risen to 87%, while approval rates for new-build projects have climbed to 96%. Remediation schemes have also achieved an 87% approval rate, covering thousands of residential units.
These figures suggest that project teams are becoming more familiar with regulatory expectations. Yet approval remains dependent on one crucial factor: evidence. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) increasingly expects fully coordinated submissions that clearly demonstrate risk management, competence and compliance with building regulations.
One of the most common challenges across high-rise developments is the coordination of building safety disciplines. Fire strategies, structural design and compliance requirements often develop separately, creating inconsistencies that can emerge late in the process.
When these issues are identified after key decisions have been made, the consequences can be significant. Design revisions can affect procurement programmes, construction sequencing and occupation dates. Under the current regime, buildings cannot be occupied until regulatory requirements have been satisfied, making delays increasingly costly for developers and investors alike.
Successful projects therefore rely on early collaboration between designers, fire engineers, structural specialists and compliance professionals. Establishing a clear route to compliance from the beginning reduces uncertainty and helps maintain programme momentum.
The growing importance of evidence was reinforced by the BSR’s recent reset of the Building Assessment Certificate (BAC) process. Updated guidance is expected this autumn, following concerns around the quality of submissions.
So far in 2026, 66% of BAC applications have reportedly been refused due to insufficient evidence of risk management arrangements. The statistic sends a clear message to the sector: compliance must be demonstrable, documented and capable of withstanding regulatory scrutiny.
The principle extends beyond new developments. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is currently monitoring more than 4,600 buildings over 11 metres², while remediation of higher-risk stock remains a national priority.
Whilst there’s been progress – around 54% of monitored buildings have either started or completed remediation works³ – nearly 100 post-Grenfell High Court claims relating to unsafe cladding are continuing through the legal system; thus highlights the long-term consequences of inadequate oversight and poor record-keeping.
More holistically, when it comes to the golden thread of building information, digital platforms will become more commonplace to meet legislative requirements for information stewardship. In readiness for this, we’ve developed an in-house platform for the development of a safety case and ensuring submission conformity.
The role of the Principal Designer has become increasingly important in helping organisations navigate this changing environment. Early appointment allows safety requirements to be considered alongside design, procurement and delivery decisions, rather than being addressed retrospectively.
While every project presents different challenges, the outcomes reinforce a broader lesson: compliance works most effectively when treated as a strategic project objective rather than a regulatory hurdle.
Fundamentally, the BSA has permanently changed the way HRBs are delivered. Competence, collaboration and accountability have always been characteristics of successful projects, but they are now central to regulatory approval as well.
For developers, contractors and designers, the challenge is no longer whether compliance should influence delivery. It is how early compliance becomes embedded within project strategy. Those that integrate building safety from day one will be best placed to achieve approvals, maintain programme certainty and create safer buildings for future generations.
* Sources:
¹ Building control approval application data, July to September 2026 – available here.
