@j0hn, many thanks for the interest and information.
As the complete area in question, all streets, have had recent footway markings added I assume that ducting is going to be installed as per the area already started, this would lead me to believe that the existing cabling is direct burial, if that's possible, having never seen any "rodding" attempts between footway chambers prior to this current activity.
Anyway, being on a long line to FTTC cabinet delighted at the prospect of FTTP in the (relatively) not too distant future, thought that my fairly low density population area would be much further down the pecking order.