IELTS Essay Question
The maps below show an industrial area in the town of Norbiton, and planned future development of the site.

Plan your answer

Sample Answer
The maps show the current layout of an industrial zone in the town of Norbiton and proposed plans for its redevelopment. Overall, according to the proposals, this area will be transformed into a residential area, with houses replacing factories, and various amenities and new roads will be added.
Currently, there is a roundabout in the centre of this area, surrounded by factories. There are two exits from the roundabout. The first one leads to a road running to the east with a number of factories on either side, while the other leads to the south onto a main road. There is a river in the north of the map with farmland nearby.
Regarding the future plans, there will be two new roads branching off from the roundabout with houses constructed along them. All the existing factories will be converted into new housing properties or shops, while a medical centre will be added to the southwest of the roundabout. The eastern road will have a playground to the north and a school at the end of it, while the factories along the road will be converted into houses. There are also plans to build another roundabout in the south and a bridge crossing the river in the north, while the farmland will be reduced in size.
Useful vocabulary
- transform something into something else = change or convert it into that thing
- amenity = something, such as a swimming pool or shopping centre, that is intended to make life more pleasant or comfortable for the people in a town, hotel, or other place
- exit = a place where vehicles can leave a road to join another road
- branch off = If a road or path branches off, it goes in another direction
- convert = If someone converts a room or building, they alter it in order to use it for a different purpose.