What the law requires
Gateway 2 is the pre-construction hard stop for England higher-risk buildings under SI 2023/909: building work must not start until the BSR has approved the design intent package. Competence and dutyholder arrangements sit alongside in SI 2023/911. Use this index to assemble evidence; cross-check GOV.UK building-control approval guidance before you file.
Key clocks
Hard stop
No commencement of building work until Gateway 2 approval is in place (SI 2023/909).
Levy (from 1 Oct 2026)
Consider SI 2025/1236 applicability for relevant applications — evidence fields only, not a liability calculator.
Primary sources
Operating checklist
Gateway 2 is the pre-construction hard stop for England higher-risk buildings under SI 2023/909. Use this template to assemble the design intent and management package the BSR expects before you apply for approval to commence building work. Cross-check against current GOV.UK building-control approval guidance before filing — software prepares; the duty-holder files on the official portal.
Submission administration
- BSR application reference and project identifiers
- Named submission owner and competent signatory
- List of co-submitters / duty holders included in the pack
- Version register for all documents in the submission
- Client / PD / PC appointment letters attached or linked
- Correspondence log for pre-application BSR engagement (if any)
Duty holders & competence (SI 2023/911)
- Principal Designer and Principal Contractor competence evidence available
- Designer / contractor competence declarations current for safety-critical packages
- Limitations and specialist appointments recorded (fire, structure, façades)
- Competence remains appointing-party judgement — presence of certificates ≠ accreditation by the platform
Design intent — fire safety
- Fire strategy report (current issue)
- Fire risk assessment (construction phase)
- Means of warning and escape strategy
- Compartmentation and fire-stopping schedule
- External wall system and cladding fire performance evidence
- Smoke control and ventilation design
- Fire service access and facilities statement
Design intent — structure
- Structural concept and stability strategy
- Design calculations summary
- Key structural risk assumptions and mitigation
- Material specifications for safety-critical elements
- Geotechnical / foundation assumptions affecting structural safety
Design intent — building services
- MEP layouts affecting fire or structural safety
- Sprinkler / suppression design (if applicable)
- Emergency lighting and power resilience
- Lift and evacuation lift provisions (if applicable)
- Life-safety systems interfaces schedule (cause-and-effect where relevant)
Management & control plans
- Construction control plan
- Change control procedure (SI 2023/909) — how safety-critical changes are captured and re-submitted
- Quality assurance plan for safety-critical works
- Inspection and test plan (ITP) for regulated systems
- Mandatory occurrence arrangements for the construction phase understood (works-phase duties distinct from occupied MOR under SI 2023/907 reg.6)
Golden thread at Gateway 2 (SI 2023/909 Part 4)
- Information requirements matrix (what, when, who)
- Naming convention and folder structure
- Evidence of digital or physical record-keeping approach
- Plan for as-built updates through construction into Gateway 3 / s.76 handover
- Plan for continuity into occupied SI 2024/41 Schedule 1 keep-list
Levy & commercial awareness (ceiling)
- Building Safety Levy applicability considered for applications on/after 1 Oct 2026 (SI 2025/1236)
- Evidence fields for liability / amount / payment / receipt planned if in scope — not a liability calculator
Readiness sign-off & portal day
- Principal Designer review complete
- Principal Contractor construction readiness confirmed
- Client / developer approval to submit
- Outstanding conditions from Gateway 1 closed or tracked
- Portal-day pack ready (checklist status, document index, HSE / BSR reference reminder)
- No assumption of live HSE / BSR e-file from the platform
Prefer narrative reading?
Educational guides are the indexed deep-read for this topic. This checklist stays printable and out of commercial search competition.
BSR expectations evolve. Cross-check this index against the latest GOV.UK building-control approval guidance for higher-risk buildings and SI 2023/909 before submission. Companion guide: threadsovereign.co.uk/gateways. Reviewed 26 July 2026.
© 2026 Threadsovereign Ltd. Provided for general guidance only — not legal advice.