Client: Greenwich Millennium Village

Main Contractors: Bouygues, Bennetts Construction & McAleer & Rushe

Start Date: February 2015

Project Status: Ongoing

Services: IT consultancy, network design, estate network rollout, site-wide connectivity, WiFi, hosted telephony

The Challenge: Learning from Phase 1 and Redesigning for the Future

SAND IT was invited to review Phase 2 of Greenwich Millennium Village after Phase 1 had failed to meet expectations.

Our brief was clear:

• Investigate the technical issues from Phase 1
• Produce a detailed “lessons learned” report
• Redesign the estate network strategy for Phase 2 (five new plots)
• Future-proof the development for long-term growth

One key operational challenge quickly emerged.

The estate relied on a central concierge office responsible for:

• Parcel management
• CCTV monitoring
• Access control management

During the lifespan of the development, the concierge office was relocated three times — operating from two temporary locations before finally moving into its permanent building.

This meant the network infrastructure had to be resilient, adaptable, and capable of supporting relocation without disruption.

The solution could not just work for today.
It had to work for the next decade.

The Solution: A Scalable, Estate-Wide Network Infrastructure

We designed and implemented a fully scalable estate network that allowed each new plot to be seamlessly integrated as it approached Practical Completion.

Our architecture utilised the OFNL GPON network with a dedicated Metrolink connection — a secure point-to-point link connecting each plot node directly to the concierge office.

At the concierge hub, a single high-performance broadband connection enables every connected plot to access fast, reliable internet while maintaining centralised control.

The result:
A unified, estate-wide network built for flexibility, expansion, and operational efficiency.

As new plots near completion, they can be connected quickly and efficiently — without redesigning the core infrastructure.

The Operational Benefits

By connecting each plot just before the commissioning phase, subcontractors gain immediate, reliable connectivity for:

• CCTV systems
• Building Management Systems (BMS)
• Access control
• EV charging infrastructure
• Software updates and configuration
• Remote diagnostics and access
• Integration with the concierge office

This approach delivers:

• Faster commissioning
• Reduced delays
• Streamlined contractor coordination
• Improved handover readiness
• Greater confidence in hitting Practical Completion dates

In large-scale residential developments, connectivity is no longer an afterthought — it is critical infrastructure.

The Achievement: A 10-Year Estate Partnership

Over a 10-year period, SAND IT has successfully connected 24 plots to the estate-wide network — with further phases scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

Due to the success of the early phases, SAND IT is now formally specified within the design and bidding documentation. This ensures continuity, consistency, and long-term network integrity — regardless of which main contractor or subcontractor is appointed.

What began as a Phase 2 review evolved into a long-term strategic partnership.