Question
Too much money is wasted on repairing old buildings that should be used to knock them down and
build new ones.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Answer
In some countries, the government and other organisations spend a lot of money on the
maintenance of old buildings, but it has been suggested that simply demolishing them and building
new ones would be preferable. This essay will argue against that.
It is true that constructing new buildings would probably be cheaper than maintaining old ones and
it would also provide more jobs and housing. However, there are many drawbacks to consider. First
of all, old buildings are a part of a country’s heritage and should be protected in many cases. All over
Europe, it is legally difficult to tear down ancient buildings because they are protected as part of the
urban landscape. This helps a town or city to keep its character and identity in the modern era.
Whilst many aspects of a place may change, it is important that something stays the same in order
to preserve and respect the past.
In addition, engaging in continual construction projects is environmentally destructive. Around the
world, humans are using massive amounts of materials to build vast apartment buildings, malls, and
skyscrapers. To some extent, this is inevitable, but at the same time it is not always necessary to
build something new. Rather than sourcing huge amounts of new material and causing lots of
environmental damage, it is often preferable to simply maintain or upgrade an existing structure.
In conclusion, it may be tempting to demolish old buildings but at least two things should be kept in
mind: firstly, that it may be part of the area’s cultural heritage, and secondly that the process of
demolition and construction may be environmentally damaging.
