Principal Designer
(Building Regulations –
Higher-Risk Buildings)
Under the Higher-Risk Building (HRB) regime, the legal responsibility for submitting Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 applications sits firmly with the client. However, the depth of evidence required by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) often means that clients turn to experienced specialists to coordinate and manage this process on their behal
At Fairway Building Consultancy, we provide end-to-end support for clients navigating the Gateway submission process for works to existing HRBs. Our team has extensive experience coordinating multi-disciplinary design and construction teams, managing documentation, and ensuring that every submission is accurate, compliant, and ready for immediate validation by the Regulator.
Fairway can also be appointed as your Principal Designer (PD) under the Building Regulations, as defined within the Building Safety Act 2022. In this statutory role, we lead and coordinate the design process to ensure that all Building Regulation requirements are considered, documented, and met throughout each stage of the project.
By engaging Fairway as your Principal Designer, you gain a single, accountable partner who not only manages compliance but also ensures that building safety is embedded into the very DNA of your design and delivery process.
Our approach is practical, transparent, and aligned with both the Building Safety Act and BS 8671 / PAS 8672 competence frameworks. We focus on early coordination, clear documentation, and proactive communication to minimise risk and maintain compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
We achieve this by:
• Leading the Gateway 2 and 3 process, ensuring design information is properly prepared, evidenced, and submitted
• Reviewing design packages to verify compliance with Building Regulation functional requirements
• Coordinating competence declarations and evidence of duty-holder capability
• Implementing Change Control Plans and tracking variations that may affect safety or compliance
• Maintaining a comprehensive audit trail of decisions and regulatory submissions
• Providing ongoing client assurance and readiness reviews prior to submission to the BSR
Our team’s technical knowledge and structured methodology give clients the reassurance that every element of the design, evidence and declaration process is handled thoroughly and professionally.
We use tailored project management and compliance tracking tools to make the Gateway process clear, structured, and predictable. This ensures that:
• Responsibilities for information provision are clearly defined and monitored
• Deadlines and deliverables are agreed early and achieved on schedule
• All documentation is complete, validated and regulator-ready at the point of submission
• Applications are accepted on first validation, keeping your project moving without unnecessary delay
