The managing director of a property company behind several major schemes in Liverpool was banned from working for solicitors in England and Wales.
Joanne Karen Waller,42, is the managing director of the Sourced Development Group, a property company behind a clutch of major schemes in Liverpool and Manchester.
Ms Waller is also a director of two special purpose vehicle ( SPV) companies behind a massive development on Blackstock Street on the edge of Liverpool city centre.
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However the ECHO can now reveal that Ms Waller is the subject of a Section 43 order handed down in relation to her conduct at a Wirral solicitors.
A S43 order is the equivalent of a strike off for non-solicitors.
Ms Waller said to the ECHO: "The Section 43 Order was made over 10 years ago and was in respect of an extremely complicated and drawn out matter which occurred 15 years ago. There is a confidentiality agreement in place and so I cannot comment on this further. I emphasise that there was no finding of dishonesty made by the SRA.
"I made the decision to leave practising conveyancing to embark on a new career as a property developer. I confirm I have not worked in conveyancing for over 15 years and the Section 43 Order has had no bearing on my current career in property development. I am proud of my work with Sourced Development Group and to be leading one of Liverpool and Manchester's pre-eminent property development companies.”
In 2011 she was pursued by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) and Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ( SDT) in relation to her role at Hamilton Square law firm 1 Law.
Following a hearing by the SDT it was found that Ms Waller had tried to register eight leasehold flats in Ashton-in-Makerfield to a company owned by one of the individuals.
Mr IR bought flats from company C. Mr PJM then bought the flats from Mr IR, completed on October 26 2007. The purchase was financed by bridging firm ABF. However Ms Waller registered the flats to R Developments, a company owned by Mr IR. The properties were not registered to show the interests of Mr PJM or ABF.
The tribunal concluded that: "On the basis of the Respondent's own admission, the Tribunal found so that it was sure that the Respondent had submitted applications to the Land Registry to register the interests of R Developments against the flats, knowing that the interests in those flats lay with Mr PJM and ABF."
The tribunal then handed down a S43 Order, prohibiting Ms Waller from working for law firms in England and Wales, without permission.
This would require Ms Waller to submit an application to the Law Society explaining why she should be allowed to work for the law firm and would not be able to do so without the SRA's express written permission.
Ms Waller chose not to attend the hearing. She was not accused of acting dishonestly.
Ms Waller is described in glowing terms on the Sourced website, which reads: "Joanne has worked in the property sector since 1996 and initially coming from a conveyancing background moved into property development organically as she found her main passion is the creation of beautifully appointed homes from scratch."
Liverpool's Vinco Group was behind the initial plans to build hundreds of apartments on land off Blackstock Street, which were approved in 2019.
However Kingsway Square Limited, an SPV, then bought the site from Blackstock Street Limited in April 2020.
Blackstock Street Limited was previously controlled by controversial Liverpool businessman Tony Kenny, who was made bankrupt in August 2020. He resigned from the company in December 2019.
Mr Kenny, from north Liverpool, is now subject to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking (BRU) which ends in July 2026.
A spokesperson for Sourced Development Group (SDG) told the ECHO that Mr Kenny had no involvement in SDG's Blackstock Street Project, and continued: "Nor does he have any connection whatsoever to SDG or its executives.
"He was simply the former owner of the Blackstock Street site which was sold through the formal process to SDG".
The ECHO sought clarity from Sourced in relation to information in their corporate brochure about schemes they claim to have completed.
A section that reads 'completed developments by the Sourced team' makes reference to the HQ building in Chester city centre and The Reach development off Leeds Street in Liverpool city centre.
Both schemes were completed before Sourced was incorporated as a company. A spokesperson for Sourced said that members of their team worked on the both schemes.
The corporate brochure includes expansive quotes from historical figures such as Benjamin Franklin and John D Rockefeller jr.
Sourced are behind Kingsway Square, Bishops Square, Queens Residence and Cardinal Rise - four linked schemes on the Blackstock Street site.
The company is also behind Carlton Court, a scheme based on the former Coconut Grove site in Tuebrook, and Derby Court on West Derby Road.
A spokesperson for Sourced said: " We are here for the long term and have several developments in the pipeline throughout the North West.
"We are passionate about the developments and are creating beautiful homes for modern City Life and through regeneration and repurposing of disused land further contributing to the local economy and providing work to both the professional industry and tradespeople in the delivery of these sites.
"We have waited patiently to complete the consultation process and will continue to work with Liverpool City Council within the framework of their newly adopted policy.
"Derby Court (Liverpool) Limited is awaiting water connection and then will be ready for purchasers to take ownership of these Units.
"Block B Regent Plaza Salford is undergoing final touches to enable buyers to move into this premises in spring 2022."
Liverpool City Council planning officers had recommended the plans for approval, but officials withdrew a report from their agenda for a committee meeting on Tuesday (8 February).
The council said this was due to concerns the scheme did not meet the new local plan which was recently accepted by the council.
The council said an updated case officer's report on the application will be submitted following consultation with the applicant.
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