BSR backlog swells as new build approvals run to 36 weeks

Latest data reveals a rising backlog of tasks snared up within the prolonged course of, with purposes flooding in sooner than BSR groups can course of them.

For the primary time, officers have admitted it now takes a mean of 36 weeks to safe gateway approval on new construct tasks – thrice longer than the unique 12-week goal and longer than the 19 weeks common on the finish of 2024.

The figures, masking exercise from late 2023 to early 2025, present 2,108 complete purposes submitted, however simply 338 have obtained approval.

Of the 193 new construct high-risk constructing purposes lodged for the reason that system launched, simply 15 (8%) have efficiently navigated the approval gateway.

Main cladding remediation schemes for current buildings haven’t fared significantly better, with solely 28 (12%) of 236 jobs cleared.

Tasks falling into the “different hearth security works” class – together with new flooring or extra minor hearth security alterations – noticed a barely higher 18% success fee, with 295 jobs permitted from 1,679 submitted.

Meaning billions of kilos value of high-rise new builds and recladding schemes are successfully caught in limbo.

BSR’s lively caseload has now soared to 1,019 schemes on the finish of March 2025 – up a 3rd from the top of final 12 months as new submissions preserve piling in.

In an announcement accompanying the figures, the HSE stated: “We acknowledge there are delays in processing purposes and we proceed to introduce enhancements.

“Current recruitment exercise is having a constructive influence on productiveness with the variety of selections doubling (month on month) total since March.

“Considerably, the variety of selections made are actually exceeding new purposes obtained.

“Devoted groups are actually in place to course of new-build and remediation purposes, and we’re introducing a brand new Innovation Unit which is able to deal with quick monitoring new-build purposes by means of the system.”

Two weeks in the past the federal government stepped in to take direct management of the Constructing Security Regulator in a shake-up aimed toward unblocking high-rise housing delays and restoring business confidence.

Accountability for the regulator is being stripped from the Well being and Security Government and handed to a brand new arm’s size company beneath the housing ministry.

This can be run by two former London Hearth Brigade commissioners.

New Innovation and Remediation Enforcement Models are being set as much as fast-track the method for round 30,000 new houses in high-rise buildings BSR has obtained constructing management purposes for.

Greater than 100 new employees may also be recruited to bolster the regulator’s capability, with in-house engineers and constructing inspectors serving to to clear the backlog of stalled purposes.

One developer advised the Enquirer: “We clearly welcome the deliberate adjustments to hurry up the method. However there’s a nagging feeling the transition might introduce but extra delay within the brief time period, which the business can unwell afford.”