The head of Haringey Council is to quit and take charge of a government housing body.

Chief executive Nick Walkley will head up the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) after four years at Haringey.

He said he will be “incredibly sad” to leave Haringey, adding: “This is a fantastic borough and I am proud to have played a role in the improvements that we have seen.”

He continued: “The council now is in a very different place to what it was back in 2012 when I joined and is well placed to deal with the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Haringey Council calculates that during his period in the role, Mr Walkley helped attract more than £1billion of investment to the borough.

Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Claire Kober, said there was a “very strong” political and senior management team in place to guarantee a smooth transition.

She added: “I know that Nick has a passion for housing and I completely understand that this is too good an opportunity for him to miss.

“When the time comes I know that many people across Haringey will want to join me in thanking Nick for his enormous contribution to the borough while wishing him all the very best for the future.”

The HCA is a non-departmental public body responsible for funding new affordable housing.