Fresh BSR data shows applications covering 12,299 homes secured approval in the 12 weeks to 1 May as the regulator accelerated decisions on both new-build high-rise schemes and remediation projects.

Across all categories, the regulator made 323 Gateway 2 decisions over the period with an overall approval rate of 71%.

The figures mark a major improvement on the slow early rollout of the gateway regime, which triggered widespread frustration across the building industry as schemes piled up awaiting approval.

The regulator’s Innovation Unit, which handles the most technically challenging projects, also showed signs of progress with 24 approvals from 33 decisions over the latest reporting period — a 73% approval rate.

London remained the centre of activity, accounting for 62% of all Gateway 2 decisions. The capital also achieved a 100% approval rate across Innovation Unit decisions during the latest 12 weeks.

But despite the improving numbers, BSR is still wrestling with a handful of deeply complex legacy schemes.

Eight long-running projects remain classed as “complex new build projects”, including six in London and two in the South West.

The regulator said these cases involve significant technical challenges and are now being managed separately by specialist account managers working directly with applicants to try to secure approvals.

Progress has also been made on backlog of remediation schemes after the launch of BSR’s External Remediation Improvement Plan last month.

Legacy remediation applications dating back to 2024 have now been cut from 42 at the start of the year to 20, with a further dozen now expected to be determined by mid-May.

BSR said its “batching” process for sending groups of applications to specialist external assessors was helping to speed up reviews.

Median assessment turnaround times are now running at around four weeks, with new-build Gateway 2 decisions taking a median nine weeks from issue to final determination.

Acting chief executive Charlie Pugsley said: “We are continuing to see positive improvements in the number of approvals for both new build and existing building remediation cases, as well as significantly faster decision times.

“This includes positive results from our Innovation Unit from working closely with applicants to resolve complex technical challenges and then seeing a growing number of decisions and rising approval rates.”