Following a request from Build UK, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is expected to issue a statement confirming that Gateway Two applications must demonstrate how they will meet the functional requirements of Building Regulations. Confusion has arisen following publication of BS 9991:2024, which does not reference the transitional arrangements for amendments to Approved Document B, including second staircases and evacuation lifts.

The BSR has also clarified the position on partial completion certificates, which allow an applicant to occupy part of a building before all work has been completed. When making an application, the partial completion strategy must set out how the occupied part of the building will comply with Building Regulations whilst work continues, and the BSR has confirmed that each partial completion application will be assessed against all the relevant functional requirements A ‐ T. Any partial completion application will be expected to cover a significant element of the building and those based on a ‘single residential unit’ are likely to be rejected on the basis they contain insufficient information to demonstrate compliance with all relevant requirements.

The Industry Competence Steering Group, which is made up of a number of sector‐led groups that produce competence frameworks, guidance and implementation programmes to enable culture change in relation to competence in construction, has been restructured as a formal working group of the Industry Competence Committee under the BSR.