..but retention need not mean stopping progress. In Sydney, NSW, Australia the planners have the right idea. One of my favourite buildings in Sydney (apart from the usual suspects of the Opera House and so on) is the “Portico” at 4 York Street.
From street level the pedestrian can admire the old frontage, and will probably not even realise he is walking next to a skyscraper.
In Ireland things are different. While both countries were part of the British Empire Ireland did not attract commercial investment as Liverpool and other established ports were too close; There are red brick “abandoned” storehouses in Sydney more impressive than the buildings in the average Irish town.
In modern terms this can be likened to a large town near a city not having a swimming pool, while a tiny village does. The town you see lacks the pool because it is assumed that anyone that wants to swim will easily travel to the city. In short proximity to a city can deprive a smaller centre of its own services, and identity.
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