Former RIBA president Ben Derbyshire has paid tribute to Tony Pidgley, the founder of FTSE 100 housebuilder Berkeley Group who has died aged 72.

Derbyshire, chair of specialist housing architect HTA Design, said news of Pidgley’s death was sad, adding: ”He spectacularly out-speculated the competition to build his empire with a genius for anticipating public policy makers. His comittment to quality design, placemaking and, latterly, biodiversity was sincere. As a client he was demanding and rewarding.”

His colleague Mike De’ath added: ”An amazing legacy from the epitome of social mobility will be his championing of great public realm ⁦@ldhta⁩ ⁦@HTADesignLLP⁩ grateful to have benefit of his vision.”

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