Copyright manchestereveningnews
A long-running legal battle involving Andy Burnham's office looks set to drag on well into next year in a new twist. The mayor’s office, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), was sued by wealthy city centre landowner Aubrey Weis in 2024 over two loans given by the GMCA to Renaker, one of the city’s biggest developers. Mr Weis claimed the GMCA’s decision to loan £140m to two special-purpose companies owned by Renaker owner Daren Whitaker broke the Subsidy Control Act. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Millions were loaned via the GMCA’s housing investment loans fund, which Mr Burnham has talked up and helped secure a decade-long extension to. The competition appeals tribunal (CAT) ruled in July that the GMCA had not broken the law following hearings in May. Now the Weis Group has announced it has been granted permission to appeal the result, with new hearings set to take place in July 2026, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands. “We are grateful for this decision and look forward to putting our case in court,” a Weis spokesperson said. “The Court of Appeal has confirmed that each one of the grounds were not fanciful, are important issues relating to the Subsidy Control Act and have a real chance of success. We are particularly pleased that the use of conflicting viability reports will be examined. “Moreover, it is of enormous importance in the context of the current government’s agenda of further devolution of powers and creation of the National Housing Bank. “With some £16bn of public funds up for grabs it is imperative that there are proper processes in place which guarantee the correct and proper administration of public money. “Government must ensure that there is no distribution of funding to a small number of parties that creates an uncompetitive environment.” The GMCA has always maintained it followed correct processes in granting the loans, and says it will continue to fight the case. A GMCA spokesperson said: “This case was brought to the Competition Appeals Tribunal and we won on every count. “An experienced Tribunal saw all the documents and stood behind our processes. In fact, the Tribunal Chair praised our approach, which helped deliver 11,000 new homes across Greater Manchester, regenerating brownfield sites at no cost to the taxpayer and without losing a single penny. “We have full confidence in our processes and the expert team behind them, and we are ready to defend our case in court.” It’s thought this is only the second time a Subsidy Control Act case has made it to court, and the Weis appeal is set to become the first time the principles of the argument will be heard by a judge.
