Morro, the sister brand of student living specialist Scape and Meanwhile Group’s co-living developer and operator brand, has secured Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for its Kingsland Road co-living scheme in London.
The decision, which was approved in just 13 weeks, means appointed principal contractor HG Construction can now commence building works on site.
Morro, alongside development and project manager Pareto Projects and principal designer Veretec, secured planning permission for the development earlier this year.
Adam Brockley, founder and group CDO at Meanwhile, said: “Securing Gateway 2 approval for Kingsland Road in record time is a significant moment of confidence for investors and developers, particularly in the build-to-rent sector, that want to continue to deliver new housing in the UK. Strong collaboration and communication between all parties – particularly with our contact Deborah Bashton at the Building Safety Regulator – and quality processes have been instrumental to reaching this milestone, which demonstrates a clear benchmark for navigating Gateway 2.
“Across our Scape PBSA and Morro co-living brands, we are committed to providing flexible, thoughtful and well-designed housing that meet the needs of contemporary city living. We look forward to starting construction for this new, high-quality, development in a popular area of Hackney.”
Kuli Bajwa, managing director of Pareto Projects, added: “Achieving Gateway 2 approval within the statutory timeframe is a testament to the commitment, expertise and collaboration of the entire project team. We led the end-to-end Gateway 2 process, coordinating every discipline to ensure a robust, compliant and fully aligned submission from day one. A key factor in this success was the strong partnership with our Building Safety Regulator lead and our appointed MDT – we agreed clear timescales on both sides, committed to them and held ourselves accountable throughout.
“When the new Gateway regime was introduced, the industry faced significant delays, but it’s clear the BSR has now adopted a more responsive and collaborative approach, and we feel we are finally being heard. This milestone shows what’s possible when everyone works with clarity, discipline and a shared commitment to safety and quality. It’s a proud moment for the project and a strong benchmark for the industry.”
