Quelfire shares expert insights into the key lessons from Gateway 2, highlighting common compliance challenges and how construction teams can prepare for Gateway 3
In many ways, Gateway 2 has become the new normal. It’s already changing the industry for the better, especially for teams that genuinely want to get things right. That said, the industry isn’t fully there yet.
Some still hold the mindset of “we’ve always done it this way” and approach the Gateway regime as something they have to do, rather than as something that can make a real difference in how we design and construct buildings.
From our perspective at Quelfire, it’s a much-needed change that is pushing the industry toward better decisions and safer buildings – which can only be good things, surely? In early applications, Ishfaq was surprised by the disconnect between the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) teams and the construction industry.
He highlighted that there seemed to be no established process; some BSR teams used staged applications, while others required full submissions.
Some submissions completed in early Stages 3/4 with no contractor details were approved in 12 weeks, whereas other T1 contractors, for instance, provided thorough information on specific parts of the build and waited about 9 months for approval.
Ultimately, this suggests that the BSR was still very much working out its processes during this stage. Because the introduction of the Gateways was such a significant change for the industry, the focus has naturally been on the first stop-and-go gateway, Gateway 2.
However, as the built environment transitions beyond this, the next unknown is Gateway 3, which introduces a new level of uncertainty. Ishfaq raised concerns about potential delays from Gateway 3, especially given the delays experienced with the second Gateway.
He believes it hasn’t been “road tested enough yet” to know what it will entail; the industry is still waiting for feedback.
Where are construction projects still falling short at Gateway 2?
Typically, R5 Consultants will distribute their project schedule to key parties, ready for submission at Gateway 2.
However, upon receiving the completed schedule, the team often finds gaps in expectations and information, with each party often having different ideas about elements of the project.
Ishfaq said, “The challenge with firestopping is that it’s one of the few elements of construction that is genuinely collaborative. The architect will set their position of all these walls, the structural engineer will dictate what size the openings and letterboxes can be and then the M&E engineer needs to tell you what is actually passing through and where and then you can come to a resolution on what the firestopping needs to be.” What Ishfaq and his team are finding is that they’re getting pushback from consultants due to tight deadlines and rising costs, because they haven’t given enough time to Gateway requirements.
Furthermore, Whitty argued that contractors “can’t play the system anymore” and that part of the Gateway regime is about making concrete decisions and following them through on-site.
He said that hidden costs, along with having to redesign a project two or three times, slow development and cost a lot of money to resolve.
What does good Gateway 2 compliance actually look like?
The whole reason for the Building Safety Act 2022 and subsequent Gateways is to improve building safety and protect those in them. Early fire stopping engagement is the only way to ensure this, as it brings all key parties together at the design stage to discuss key deliverables and how they’ll be achieved.
It puts fire safety at the heart of every decision, ensuring the project is designed and then built around available fire stopping tested solutions. Ishfaq said that when looking at the mechanics of what you’re going to submit, it is about design procurement alongside product and system procurement.
If contractors review the information and decide on deliverables, a systematic approach can be taken to articulate it to the regulator.
Further to this, Whitty stated that main contractors need to be clear about and commit to products and systems they want to see in the building. He also raised that you’ve got to make it easy for the regulator to say yes.
You’re taking the BSR on a journey – give examples, show the rationale behind the decisions. This also includes being in dialogue with your regulator spokesperson and finding out what’s required of you: ask the questions.
All panellists agreed that it is better for project teams to take their time at the design stage and focus on getting it right the first time. Multiple redesigns cost time and money, add project pressure and stress and ultimately slow the whole project down.
You might discover that the BSR will ask for additional information after submission. By putting in the effort beforehand, you give yourself an advantage.
Thorough design may take time upfront, but it pays off in the long run for business security and profitability. Not to mention it prioritises building safety!
How can construction teams start preparing for Gateway 3 now?
Both Whitty and Ishfaq agreed that contractors need to improve their QA process. Whitty also went on to say that it’s about the execution of what you set out to do. It’s about evidencing that what you have installed is as per what you submitted at Gateway 2.
You can’t leave it to the last minute to prove how your piling went in, for example, you’ve got to be thinking about all of these things from the get-go.
Ultimately, no one knows what Gateway 3 will fully entail, so if you’re not preparing for it, start now. Willmott Dixon is preparing for Gateway 3 by enhancing its pre-start procedures, working through key deliverables before construction even begins.
The team goes through what they are building, what they will be evidencing and how often and what good looks like. Whitty stated that having these early on-site conversations has been driving value in production and efficiency and that there is generally less conflict on site.
By working closely with supply chain partners, behaviours become apparent. Their willingness to collaborate, but also how they plan, prepare and deliver to make Gateway 3 more achievable.
Are construction projects ready for Gateway 3?
While the built environment’s focus has been on Gateway 2, it highlights one question: Are we ready for what comes next? Gateway 3 is currently the big unknown. The unknown can be scary, but especially for those unprepared.
“We’ll deal with it later” can no longer be an option, as evidence is crucial to demonstrating that what is built is what was designed for Gateway 2. That means thinking ahead now and applying all practices across all projects.
Because, at the end of the day, this is about whole building safety and protecting lives. And sticking to the agreed plan.
This article is based on Quelfire’s London Build 2025 panel discussion, titled Gateway 2: What We Know Now. Craig Wells, Sales Director at Quelfire, was joined by Graeme Whitty, National Product Director at Willmott Dixon and Nasar Ishfaq, Director, Architect and Principal Designer at R5 Consultants, to discuss Gateway 2 and what they have learned since its introduction. However, this article touches on why you should look beyond Gateway 2 to Gateway 3. It also explains how to prepare for it.