Saw a map of the Openreach infrastructure on this estate. Was indeed mostly direct in ground. The drops and most of the feeder routes.
The Virgin Media stuff seems a pretty standard build. Optical node covers about 500 premises, take up is pretty high, average use is pretty, well, average. The network is running well within limits both capacity and RF-wise.
Obviously as FTTP goes live and gets marketed VM will lose some customers. They might win some back if they release the new product they've tested in a couple of areas, and when they are done with nearby cities they'll build the XGSPON network overlay.
The Openreach hardware in Wellington should be pretty simple to upgrade to XGSPON. Openreach haven't installed any OLTs that couldn't do both in a while.