PLEASE PLEASE COULD SOMEONE HELP ME?
I'm just totally struggling as where to even start with this problem question:
Roberta and Suzanna are wealthy heiresses. Trevor is a property developer with considerable experience in the London market over the last 20 years. Trevor convinced Roberta and Suzanna to enter into a joint venture arrangement with him, to purchase a rundown warehouse block, known as “Block A”, in East London with a view to developing it into apartments. The arrangement between the three parties was such that Roberta and Suzanna provided funding to purchase Block A and for its re-development, while the management of the project was left entirely in Trevor’s hands given his expertise in that area.
Trevor applied for planning consent for the re-development of Block A. However, the Local Council refused to grant planning consent for the re-development unless a neighbouring warehouse, known as “Block B”, was also purchased and developed into a leisure centre, to encourage people to live in the apartments. Trevor did not reveal this to Roberta and Suzanna and instead proceeded to purchase Block B for himself. The purchase and re-development of Block A have cost Roberta and Suzanna £1.5m. In contrast, Trevor managed to buy and re-develop Block B at the relatively low cost of only £500,000.
Contrary to expectations, the local population has flocked to the leisure centre, with the result that Trevor was able to sell it recently for £2m. He has used his profits to buy a country house which has recently been valued at £4m. Also contrary to expectations, the apartments in Block A have not been popular.
Advise Roberta and Suzanna, who have told you that they believe Block A would only sell for £1m on the open market today.
What should the structure of the answer be or what are the main issues?