All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Wimbledon

The works involved demolition of the existing Media Centre and the construction of a new Media Pavilion, alongside the development of a Technical Services Room constructed above an existing structure using lightweight glulam and cross laminated timber. All construction activities were undertaken within a live operational estate and had to be completed within a fixed, non negotiable deadline ahead of The Championships. This created a high profile, time sensitive construction environment where fire safety compliance and reliability were critical to both operational continuity and reputation.

Delivering demolition and structural construction within a globally recognised sporting venue presents a unique set of fire risks. Construction activities such as hot works and grinding, combined with evolving layouts and dust heavy phases, significantly increase the likelihood of fire incidents. At the same time, the live nature of the estate required uninterrupted protection without disruption to surrounding facilities.

For the SHEQ team at Knight Harwood, the temporary fire detection strategy had to demonstrate clear compliance with recognised standards while remaining practical for a fast moving build programme. The system needed to meet EN54 requirements, align with Joint Code of Practice guidance, support deployment in line with BS5839 where required, and provide a reliable and user friendly solution that could adapt as the structure progressed. On a project of this visibility and scale, temporary protection had to be as robust and auditable as a permanent installation.

To further enhance situational awareness, the site integrated REACT, Ramtech’s cloud based 24 hour notification platform. Given the scale of the redevelopment works and the physical distance between work areas and site offices, reliance on a single alarm panel was not sufficient. REACT delivered instant push notifications directly to designated personnel, ensuring that alerts were received wherever management teams were located, whether on site or off site. With site maps preloaded into the system, each activation was pinpointed to an exact location, supporting rapid investigation and response. Escalation protocols ensured that alerts could not be overlooked.

George Edwards, Senior Construction Manager at Knight Harwood, noted that during activities such as grinding, detectors have occasionally been activated. In each instance, REACT immediately notified the relevant team members, enabling swift checks and verification. This level of connectivity provides confidence that no event goes unnoticed, even on a large and complex site. “On a live estate like Wimbledon, temporary fire protection cannot be treated as secondary to permanent systems. We required a solution that demonstrated full EN54 certification and aligned with the Joint Code of Practice. The wireless deployment allowed us to maintain continuous protection throughout demolition and structural phases without compromising programme or compliance.” — George Edwards, Senior Construction Manager, Knight Harwood

The combined deployment of WES3 and REACT provided a fully certified, adaptable and connected temporary fire safety strategy aligned with EN54 25 and relevant construction fire safety guidance. The system delivered rapid installation without invasive cabling, flexibility as the build progressed, and real time communication that supported proactive management oversight.

Most importantly, the project maintained uninterrupted fire protection throughout demolition and reconstruction phases, supporting safe delivery within a fixed deadline ahead of a global sporting event. In an environment where operational continuity and public reputation are paramount, the integration of certified wireless detection and cloud based alerting ensured that safety standards matched the prestige of the venue itself.

For contractors operating in live, high profile or mission critical environments, this project demonstrates that temporary fire protection can achieve permanent level assurance when underpinned by certified technology, expert deployment and robust escalation procedures.