CLC process map of Building Control Approval for Higher-Risk Building Works
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) meets with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), on a weekly basis to address priority areas and maximise communication to the industry on building control approval for higher-risk building (HRB) work.
The work has included establishing a new task and finish group to consider the journey of a new project through the building control process for both the Regulator and industry to support the submission, assessment and timely approval of high quality and compliant building control applications for new HRBs. Ther CLC have noted that:
"As part of this work the CLC intends to provide information and thereby greater clarity to applicants to help achieve successful projects and occupied buildings."
"Initial outputs include the publication of a summary process map of the current building control application process for a new HRB."
"This document brings together for the first time a clear summary of the whole process from planning gateway one to gateway 3 and will evolve as required."
- Understand the whole building control application process – do not approach from just completing one single gateway stage at a time.
- Prepare for gateway 3 from the start – the documents relied upon for gateway 3 evolve through the whole building control application process.
- Provide clear and comprehensive applications – demonstrate compliance with the functional requirements of the Building Regulations – not just what, but the why and how compliance will be achieved.
- Ensure a high quality application – this includes both the plans and documents, and they are not an independent set of documents. Provide sufficient technical detail and cut down on superfluous information such as repeated extracts of the legislation.
- Submit complete applications – check you have followed the application requirements and have submitted the full list of documents for validation.
"Over the coming weeks it is intended that more detailed information and advisory notes on specific elements of the process will be published. This will build on and compliment informative and helpful guidance by other stakeholder groups including Build UK."
This article appears on the CIC news and websites as 'Building Control Approval for Higher-Risk Building Work' dated 24 March, 2025. For more information about the work of the CIC visit https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- ACM cladding.
- Building Safety Act.
- Grenfell Tower articles.
- Grenfell Tower Fire.
- Hackitt review.
- High rise building.
- Higher risk buildings.
- Higher risk residential buildings.
- Roof terraces and higher-risk buildings.
- The Higher-Risk Buildings (Description and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023.
- The Higher-Risk Buildings (Key Building Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2023.
- The Higher-Risk Buildings (Management of Safety Risks etc) (England) Regulations 2023.
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
New and updated CLC building safety guidance.
New UK National Buildings Database.
Building Safety Wiki Interviews
Chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief explanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.

















