Cities: IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many cities, older buildings are being demolished to make way for modern tower blocks. While this kind of redevelopment brings some benefits, I believe that the disadvantages outweigh them when buildings of historical value are lost.

There are understandable reasons for replacing old buildings with high-rise towers. Cities with a growing population and little available land need more homes and offices, and building upwards allows a much higher population density on the same plot. Modern towers can also be built to current safety standards and made far more energy-efficient than older structures, which are often poorly insulated and expensive to heat. In addition, an impressive new development can attract investment, bringing new businesses and jobs to an area that may have been in decline.

However, the costs of this trend are often greater. When historic buildings are destroyed, a city loses part of its memory and its architectural heritage, which cannot be recreated once it is gone. The process also tends to push out the people who gave the area its character: long-term residents and small family shops are frequently unable to afford the higher rents in the new towers. Consider an old market district with narrow streets, traditional workshops and cafes that have served the same families for generations; if it is replaced by identical glass blocks, the city gains floor space but loses a unique place. As this happens in city after city, urban centres everywhere begin to look the same, which makes city life duller for residents and less attractive to visitors.

In conclusion, although high-rise development is sometimes necessary, I believe its drawbacks are greater when it destroys historic areas. Planners should build towers on empty or former industrial land while protecting neighbourhoods of historical importance.