MCG Construction, Oval Village, London

The result

Continuous fire protection across a complex multi-phase London development using a scalable wireless fire detection system supporting over 300 live devices while maintaining operational coverage throughout the construction programme.

Bull SITEPROTECT delivered a future-ready wireless fire safety solution capable of supporting high device density, phased construction and long-term operational continuity.

What MCG said

Project overview

Oval Village is a major residential development in London delivered across multiple phases adjacent to The Oval cricket ground.

The project involves several residential blocks progressing at different stages simultaneously, requiring reliable construction fire detection systems to remain operational while construction activities evolve across the site.

MCG Construction required a solution capable of maintaining continuous protection while scaling alongside the development as new phases were delivered.

The challenge

• Multiple residential blocks progressing at different construction stages
• Devices installed, relocated and recommissioned as site layouts evolved
• Over 300 live devices operating simultaneously during peak phases
• High dust environments triggering unwanted smoke detector activations
• Integration with welfare areas, temporary structures and other site systems
• A long-term construction programme continuing through to 2030

MCG Construction required a wireless fire detection system for construction sites that could remain live throughout the development while adapting to a constantly changing environment without compromising safety.

The solution

MCG Construction implemented Bull SITEPROTECT, a fully wireless fire detection system designed specifically for complex construction environments.

• Capacity for up to 480 devices on a single panel
• Clear zoning across multiple residential blocks
• Rapid relocation of devices as construction progressed
• Compatibility with both legacy and new Bull equipment

To address dust-related activations common in construction environments, smoke detectors were strategically replaced with heat detectors in specific locations, significantly reducing avoidable alarms and reactive callouts.

Unlike systems that reach capacity limits at 200–300 devices, SITEPROTECT wireless fire detection provided the scalability and stability required for a development of this size and duration.

Operational insights from Oval Village

The Oval Village project provided valuable operational insight into managing construction fire safety systems on large-scale phased developments.

• High device density across multiple residential blocks required careful zoning from the outset
• Dust-heavy construction activities made detector selection critical to minimising avoidable activations
• Maintaining power continuity across changing site conditions was essential to keeping protection live
• Wireless systems allowed full block setups to be relocated efficiently as the site evolved, but zone tracking remained critical when layouts changed
• Regular data reviews helped identify activation trends and improve system performance over time

Over the life of the project, these operational lessons helped shape a more refined approach to detector choice, power resilience, zoning discipline and ongoing system management across a complex live environment.

These lessons now inform how Bull and MCG Construction approach fire protection planning for complex, long-duration construction programmes.

Implementation and ongoing optimisation

This was not a one-time installation but an evolving system aligned with the development of the site.

Bull worked closely with MCG Construction to:

• Review servicing data and engineer callout trends
• Identify recurring causes of avoidable disruption
• Adjust device types and configurations where required
• Provide technical guidance and product training

As the site matured, practical learning around detector selection, panel power continuity and zoning management helped reduce friction and supported more stable long-term system performance.

Because the system is fully wireless, full block installations can be relocated quickly as construction progresses, rather than reworking individual devices one by one.

MCG Construction’s team also played a key role in maintaining system performance through regular testing, proactive management and close collaboration with Bull fire safety engineers.

Where site layouts changed, ongoing coordination and reconfiguration support helped maintain clear zoning and consistent operational coverage across the development.

A long-term partnership