And, while regular city-goers may bemoan the seemingly-constant roadworks and building projects going on these days, rest assured that ‘twas always thus, as demonstrated by these incredible pictures.
I hardly recognise these retro scenes of Preston in various states of ruin and regeneration, they are shocking. They also feature countless buildings now wiped clean from the face of the cityscape.
Take a look and see if you can remember them...
17. Demolished Preston
A fragment of a mosaic found in the rubble of a cleared site in Church Street, Preston - the big outfitters Middlebrook's used to occupy most of it. The name of Sisson Watchmaker can be seen, which by all accounts was a very successful jewellery shop Photo: National World
18. Demolished Preston
Excavators turned Preston's Charlotte Street area into a a sea of broken asphalt, concrete, wood, metal and mud. But appearances are deceiving in this case. Each pile of rubbish and every ill-cut channel are just-so for a purpose. For this expanse of orderly disorder is the foundation of the Avenham development scheme in 1963 Photo: National World
19. Demolished Preston
The demolition of Loxham's showrooms, found in Fishergate, Preston, in 1975 Photo: National World
20. Demolished Preston
Demolition in Berry Street, Avenham, Preston in 1963. Although you can see it in this image, the TV aerials were still standing on top of the houses Photo: National World