The Chief Executive Officer of Homes England Nick Walkley has announced he is to leave his post.

Mr Walkley, who has been in the role since March 2017, when it was known as the Homes and Community Agency, will step down with effect from February 28th. He will be replaced on an interim basis by the body’s chief investment officer Gordon More, with support from chief financial officer Lynda McMullan.

Mr Walkley said: I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved and I’d like to thank my colleagues and our many industry partners for their dedication and support. My successor will find an organisation brimming with talent, purpose and heart.”

He did not state a reason for his departure, but predicted that his successor will enjoy the benefit of leading an organisation that is “well-positioned to support the country’s economic recovery”.

Homes England said Mr Walkley had accomplished several notable achievements during his tenure, including regularly meeting or exceeding performance targets. These include securing £1.7 billion of strategic partnerships with housing associations and significant land acquisitions. The agency also secured £7.4 billion for affordable homes in the government’s 2020 spending review.

Responding to the announcement, communities secretary Robert Jenrick praised Mr Walkley for his a “transformation of the organisation that has helped deliver more homes that communities need and helped so many families onto the housing ladder”.

London building surveyors will be among those who will be keen to see if Mr Walkley’s successor can build on his progress and help to deliver more homes in the capital, especially in the affordable bracket as the cost of ownership in the metropolitan area continues to exceed most other places in Britain.

The Greater London Authority, which manages housing projects on behalf of Homes England, noted in its 2020 Housing in London report that the city faces the challenge of being in its second historic population boom, having seen a decline in residents between 1939 and 1988.

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