Builders & Developers: Building Safety Act & Gateway Compliance Support

Builders & Developers: Building Safety Act & Gateway Compliance Support

Navigating Gateways 1, 2 and 3 with confidence. 

For builders and developers, the Building Safety Act (BSA) has fundamentally reshaped the development process for higher-risk buildings (HRBs). Safety is no longer a post-construction consideration, it is a regulatory requirement embedded from planning through to occupation. 

At Ark, we help developers align with the Gateway approval system introduced by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). This means you can move through each stage of the process with confidence, avoiding costly delays, refusals, and reputational damage. 

Understanding the Gateways 

Gateway 1: Planning (Fire Safety First) 

At the planning stage, developers must demonstrate that fire safety has been considered from the outset. Fire statements are mandatory, and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is now a statutory consultee. 

How Ark helps: We prepare robust fire safety inputs, ensuring proposals satisfy planning authorities and anticipate BSR scrutiny. 

Gateway 2: Building Control Approval 

Before construction begins, developers must secure approval from the BSR. Applications must include detailed construction control plans, building regs compliance statements, and change-control processes. Work cannot start until approval is granted, starting early risks enforcement action. 

How Ark helps: We provide full safety case alignment, risk assessments, and compliance documentation, ensuring your submission is accurate, defensible, and future-proof. 

Gateway 3: Completion & Occupation 

No occupation certificate will be issued until the BSR is satisfied that the built asset complies with regulations and matches approved plans. This is where the Golden Thread of building information is tested. 

How Ark helps: We manage commissioning data, evidence trails, and final compliance validation to ensure buildings pass Gateway 3 smoothly and without delay. 

Why Builders and Developers Partner with Ark 

Whether you are a principal contractor, developer, or design lead, Ark brings unrivalled experience in aligning projects with BSA requirements. We deliver: 

• Safety Case Development – preparing clear, regulator-ready documentation. 

• Structural, fire, and general risk assessments – embedded at each stage of design and build. 

• Compliance management via QUOODA® – our digital platform centralises risk and compliance data, creating the live “Golden Thread” regulators expect. 

• Competence assurance – ensuring your design and delivery teams meet the regulator’s strict competency standards. 

• End-to-end support – from planning submissions to final occupation. 

The Ark advantage 

• Proven success in supporting BSA-aligned submissions and BAC achievements where others have failed. 

• Multi-disciplinary expertise covering fire safety, structural safety, and occupational health & safety. 

• Practical, commercially aware advice that avoids delays while keeping compliance watertight. 

Protect your project, reputation, and residents. 

Partner with Ark to ensure your development passes smoothly through Gateways 1, 2 and 3, and stands as a benchmark for safety, compliance, and trust.