HAALO was Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC)'s Lead Construction Advisor on their Arbour BTR development — from design, through to the completion of the construction phase — protecting the funder's investment at every stage.
Arbour, at 299 Silbury Boulevard, is a 306-home Build to Rent community in central Milton Keynes — providing a new 14-storey accommodation block creating new homes and resident amenity areas, a short walk from Milton Keynes Central railway station. Owned by PIC, developed by HG Living with HG Construction as the main contractor, it completed in September 2024. Of its homes, 43 are offered at a discounted market rate; the scheme also brings over an acre of green external residential accessible amenity space and other resident amenity includes — a gym, concierge, co-working and lounge — all in central Milton Keynes.
Lead Construction Advisor from design to completion.
HAALO acted as the Lead Construction Advisor to PIC across the life of the scheme — initially providing development management services to establish the Employer’s Requirements and manage the technical risk through to resolution . HAALO then provided project monitoring and oversight through the construction delivery, acting on behalf of PIC.
Working to the principle of driving value through early risk appraisal, HAALO advised the duty holders under the revised Building Regulations and worked alongside the architects, designers and contractor, holding the commercial and contractual position so the funder's long-term interest was never traded for programme or margin.
'No stone unturned' due diligence, held through delivery.
HAALO's technical review and development management of the proposed design and specification, so that they aligned with PIC’s requirements set the tone. Representing and advising the funder before commitment, HAALO applied a meticulous, 'no stone unturned' examination of the technical and commercial position — the rigour that gave PIC a defensible basis to invest, and later to hold or refinance.
Through delivery, HAALO stayed close to the construction works, supporting in monitoring, identifying risks and managing change on behalf of PIC, including driving procurement of the interior design and landscape solutions during construction — testing decisions against the funder's interest and reducing the cost impact of late design change.
It is the clearest expression of controlling technical debt: caught at the front through the rigour of due diligence, and maintained through the construction process to protect the owner from claims post construction.
Defects at the contractor's cost, not the funder's.
Arbour completed in September 2024 and is now let. For PIC, HAALO's advice from design through construction means that the asset was secured on a tested case, delivered under an experienced technical eye, and carried into ownership with its defects pursued at the contractor's cost, not the funder's.
Arbour is fully operating, home to around 500 residents, and is well regarded — rated 4.5 out of 5 on HomeViews, with residents citing responsive management and a strong community. The completed development went on to be named Best BTR Development at the 2025 Inside Housing Development Awards — recognition for the scheme itself.
Demolition of a former office building and new build of 306 Build to Rent apartments, up to 14 storeys (studio, 1, 2 & 3-bed, including 43 at a discounted market rate).
- Forensic development management.
- Driving the technical and commercial solutions ('no stone unturned').
- Development advisory through the construction delivery — document review and on-site inspection.
