Kingsland Road decision being seen as breakthrough in safety regulations impasse
A 150-home co-living scheme in Hackney has been given gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator in 13 weeks – just one week longer than the BSR’s original target time of three months.
Morro, the sister brand of student living specialist Scape, said the news means its scheme on Kingsland Road, known as the Kline, is the fastest new build scheme to achieve gateway 2 approval under the Building Safety Act.
The official target time for the gateway 2 applications for higher-risk buildings is 12 weeks.
But the system has been plagued by delays and a slew of schemes have bust their intended deadlines. In October, BSR chairman Andy Roe told the Building the Future conference the average time that firms were waiting for gateway 2 approval across the UK currently stood at 43 weeks, while this number jumped to 48 weeks in London.
Morro said that HG Construction will now be able to start on site shortly, with the scheme having been given the planning green light from Hackney council earlier this year.
Morro is real estate firm Meanwhile Group’s co-living developer and operator brand and its founder Adam Brockley said: “Securing gateway 2 approval for Kingsland Road in record time is a significant moment of confidence for investors and developers, particularly in the build-to-rent sector, that want to continue to deliver new housing in the UK.
>> See also: Building Safety Regulator chair unveils measures to speed up approvals process at Building the Future conference
>> See also: Industry will see progress on gateway 2 delays by Christmas, CLC boss predicts
“Strong collaboration and communication between all parties and quality processes have been instrumental to reaching this milestone, which demonstrates a clear benchmark for navigating gateway 2.”
Project manager on the scheme is Pareto Projects, whose managing director Kuli Bajwa added: “When the new gateway regime was introduced, the industry faced significant delays but it’s clear the BSR has now adopted a more responsive and collaborative approach and we feel we are finally being heard. This milestone shows what’s possible when everyone works with clarity, discipline and a shared commitment to safety and quality.”
Others working on the scheme include architect PH Plus and principal designer Veretec. Interior design Ab Rogers Design is also on the job.
Last week, the BSR said that nearly half of the live caseload for gateway 2 new build is being handled under its new model for deciding cases.
The regulator introduced a new case-handling procedure, which it named its innovation unit, after the previous multi-disciplinary team model was blamed for long delays in building approvals.
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