Battersea Power Station development gets ultrafast FTTP broadband

Residents of 865 apartments being constructed at Battersea Power Station are to receive gigabit capacity fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband from the day they move in, through a deal struck between the Malaysia-backed developers and urban fibre supplier Hyperoptic.

The regeneration of the Thames riverfront and between Battersea Park and Vauxhall in southwest London is one of the largest redevelopment projects in the UK.

Centred on the iconic Battersea Power Station, which is being fully restored after years of neglect, the development includes thousands of apartments, new retail, public and business space, an extension to the Northern Line and a new US Embassy.

The restoration of the power station has already attracted the attention of Apple, which plans to base its UK headquarters there, and will move 3,000 staff into the space beginning in 2021.

“World-class infrastructure is at the heart of our award-winning project. All of our suppliers have been strategically selected to support this vision and give our vibrant Battersea Power Station community the best services in the market,” said Mike Varney, building services technical manager at the Battersea Power Station Development Company.

“Broadband infrastructure may be invisible, but its impact on our resident’s quality of life is significant. Hyperoptic is renowned in the industry for its phenomenal speeds, product range and service delivery. On behalf of our Malaysian shareholders, we are thrilled to have Hyperoptic on board as a supplier.”

Engineers working for Hyperoptic, which specialises in new-build, multiple-occupancy properties, have begun connecting Circus West Village, the first phase of the development, to fibre infrastructure enabling symmetrical gigabit speeds, well over 100 times faster than a standard broadband connection.

David Walker, head of property at Hyperoptic, said: “The Battersea Power Station project is one of the UK’s most exciting redevelopment and place-making schemes, centered around one of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks.”

“Every detail of the project has been meticulously planned to deliver a new, unrivalled community living experience. To be chosen to deliver the connectivity is further recognition of our true fibre approach, which is the benchmark of excellence for the UK broadband industry,” he said.

Hyperoptic operates services to developments in 20 town and city centres around the UK and is rapidly expanding its footprint, backed by a £21m investment by the European Investment Bank made in July 2016.

In January 2017, it signed a deal with a developer of single-occupancy housing in Welwyn Garden City, taking its services to the suburbs for the first time.