Inside Housing – News – BSR is easy target for criticism that ‘diverts attention from underlying issues’ in built environment, says steering group

On issues with the BSR, the ISSG said it would have welcomed more openness from the regulator after it became beset by delays and concern about the quality of its work.

Back in March 2025, MPs were being told that delays at the BSR are leading to job losses and “wasteful training methods” in construction are impacting the government’s ability to hit its 1.5 million homes target.

The roll-out of the new safety regime under the BSR has been beset by delays due to higher-than-anticipated demand, as well as problematic or incomplete applications.

The ISSG said: “We are pleased to hear more recently, however, that BSR has been working to resolve the technical issues and delays.

“We have also heard that the move of BSR out of [the Health and Safety Executive] to become its own arm’s-length body will likely improve [its] operational processes and reduce the delays currently affecting the building control system.

“We are concerned that alongside initial procedural issues, BSR is receiving poor-quality applications. The rejections at both Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 are exposing problems in industry.

“The difference between what duty holders should be providing and what they are providing is stark. We strongly believe that there needs to be more communication between the regulator and industry, and greater transparency on good and bad practice within industry.”

Back in July last year, data from the BSR revealed that 69% of applications were rejected because they lacked detail, did not show legal standards would be met or were withdrawn by the applicant.

For high-risk high-rise residential buildings in England, almost 75% of existing buildings assessed in August 2025 by the BSR failed to meet the standards required.

In May this year, the BSR revealed it had approved over 12,000 housing units via its Gateway 2 process in the previous 12 weeks, with an approval rate of 71%, a significant increase on previous quarters as it has worked to speed up decision times.

However, the ISSG added: “We are concerned that the urgency to act post-Grenfell has already started to wane in some parts of the sector. The inquiry report must be a watershed moment which catalyses change based on the many hard lessons to be learned.

“The inquiry recommendations concentrated on actions for government, and we are concerned that many in industry have taken this lack of commentary on its failures as an indication that they got off lightly. 

“We are alarmed and disappointed by this response and feel strongly that it must be countered robustly. ISSG strongly believes that there need to be incentives for good practice as well as substantive sanctions for those who fail to meet standards.”

In addition, the BSR confirmed this week it is changing how it issues compliance certificates for high-risk buildings after two-thirds of applications were refused.

Prior to that, the government announced it will make new funding available to remove cladding from the highest-risk buildings under 11 metres high.