Case Study: Quarry Hall Farm CCTV System Upgrade

Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Contract Value: £27,000
Technology: 32 Hikvision CCTV Cameras, Hikvision 32-Channel 32TB NVR, Hikvision 43” UHD Monitor, Ubiquiti Wireless Network, Starlink High-Speed Internet

Scope of the Contract

Full design, upgrade, and expansion of the existing CCTV system across multiple buildings, sheds, and high-traffic areas throughout a live, operational agricultural estate.

Overview

Firesand was appointed by Quarry Hall Farm, a well-established and diversified agricultural estate near Milton Keynes, to deliver a full upgrade of its CCTV infrastructure. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the farm required a system that could provide continuous surveillance across a sprawling and complex site, spanning livestock sheds, machinery yards, workshops, and areas accessible to the public. The new system needed to overcome environmental challenges such as dust, weather, limited mounting options due to building height restrictions, and inadequate broadband connectivity.

Delivery

Firesand successfully designed and delivered a 32-camera IP-based CCTV system, carefully planned and installed within a live, working environment. The site included a mix of businesses, public footpaths, and constant movement of farm machinery and vehicles.

Key elements of delivery included:

• Phased installation to minimise disruption to daily operations

• Strict safety protocols to protect staff, tenants, contractors, and the general public

• Custom infrastructure planning to suit building layouts, visibility lines, and harsh agricultural conditions

• Wireless networking using Ubiquiti access points to reduce trenching and cabling costs across the vast site

• Remote viewing and centralised monitoring, made possible by the installation and commissioning of Starlink satellite broadband to overcome rural connectivity limitations

Special consideration was also given to safety during installation. The site’s high traffic of vehicles, animals, and footfall required enhanced visibility for engineers, use of barriers, safety signage, and strict access control to installation zones. All engineers were fully equipped with Firesand-branded PPE, ensuring a professional and safe presence on site.

Resources

Firesand deployed three experienced local engineers to carry out the installation and commissioning works, supported by a dedicated Project Manager. The Project Manager ensured end-to-end delivery, oversaw all health and safety requirements, managed stakeholder communication, and ensured the project stayed on schedule and within budget.

Project Challenges & Solutions

Delivering a robust CCTV solution for Quarry Hall Farm required overcoming several complex site-specific challenges. The vast scale of the estate made traditional cabling impractical and cost-prohibitive, particularly given the distance between buildings and surveillance zones. To resolve this, Firesand designed a bespoke wireless network infrastructure using Ubiquiti access points, allowing reliable connectivity without the need for extensive groundworks.

The remote location of the farm also posed a significant obstacle, with extremely poor broadband coverage that threatened to undermine the system’s centralised monitoring and remote access capabilities. Firesand addressed this by integrating Starlink satellite broadband, enabling high-speed, stable internet access for live and recorded footage across the entire site.

Additionally, the project had to be delivered within a live, high-risk working environment—with continuous vehicle movements, heavy machinery in operation, and public rights of way running through the farmyard. Our team planned and phased the installation with meticulous attention to health and safety, deploying enhanced signage, access control, and safety barriers to protect staff, tenants, and the public throughout the project.

Benefits

Continuous 24/7/365 surveillance across the entire site

High-definition day/night camera coverage for improved image quality

Out of hours - CCTV Intrusion Detection Trigger zones - improved security, minimizing false alarms

IP-based infrastructure for future scalability and networked control

Secure remote access for live viewing and playback from any location

Fully compliant with industry standards

Reduced site vulnerability and increased visibility of operations

The project was completed safely, on time, and within budget—delivering real value, enhanced security, and total peace of mind for the client.