METROPOLIS PROJECT TO BE EXPEDITED

Chief Executive John Lee says the Government will expedite the implementation of economic and housing-related projects in the Northern Metropolis while maintaining a prudent fiscal position, highlighting that some 60,000 housing units will be completed in the next five years.

Unveiling his third Policy Address today, Mr Lee said the Government is taking an innovative approach to advancing the development of the Northern Metropolis. This involves exploring the establishment of a pilot industrial park by means of granting some of the logistics sites in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (NDA) to a company established and led by the Government.

The company will, in accordance with the Government’s industrial policies, be responsible for formulating the park’s development and operational strategies, and will decide whether to accept strategic investment. Details will be announced in the first quarter of next year.

Separately, the Government will also consider flexible disposal of land to meet the development needs of individual industries, with a view to driving industrial development.

Moreover, the Government will adopt, on a pilot basis, a large-scale land disposal approach, under which sizable land parcels with commercial value and earmarked for the provision of community facilities will be selected and granted to successful bidders for collective development. 

This approach is aimed at speeding up development of the land parcels, enabling a more co-ordinated approach to their design. Three land parcels, each of 10 to 20 hectares, have been identified as pilot sites.

Entering maturity

Noting that the Northern Metropolis project will gradually enter its maturity phase, Mr Lee said that in the next five years some 60,000 housing units there, involving about 10 new public rental housing estates, will be completed and ready for intake. 

In the same period, the first batch of land at the San Tin Technopole will be offered to the market, and the new Huanggang Port building, providing co-location of immigration and customs clearance, will be completed.

In the subsequent five‑year period, the number of new housing units will increase by about 150,000, with over 10 million sq m of gross floor area becoming available for economic uses. The first joint-user government building, in Kwu Tung North, will also be put to use, and the expanded North District Hospital will be ready for service.

As for transport infrastructure, construction of the Northern Link Main Line is scheduled for completion in 2034, and the Northern Metropolis Highway (San Tin Section) is set to open in 2036.

Mr Lee said that apart from enhancing the quality of life of Hong Kong people, these developments will significantly boost the city’s economic growth and bolster its technology industries, while providing a living environment that will help to attract talents and encourage them to settle in Hong Kong for good.

The way forward

The Government will seek funding for the first stage of the San Tin Technopole’s infrastructure and begin construction works this year. The target is to deliver about 20 hectares of new innovation and technology (I&T) sites in phases, beginning in 2026-27, for the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation’s development and operation. 

In addition, the second phase of the Yuen Long South NDA will begin in mid-2025. The preliminary development proposal for Ngau Tam Mei will be announced imminently, with land being reserved for developing the Northern Metropolis University Town, a third medical school and an integrated teaching hospital. 

This will be followed by the announcement of preliminary development proposals for the New Territories North New Town and the Ma Tso Lung area before the end of this year.

The rezoning process for Sandy Ridge in the North District will begin this year, with its I&T sites being expanded to 10 hectares.

I&T zone

Mr Lee said the “Development Outline for the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone” will be published later this year.

It will set out innovative policies to facilitate the flow of personnel, materials, capital and data between the Hong Kong Park and the Shenzhen Park in the zone, making the co-operation zone a crucial source of new quality productive forces for the country.

In addition, the Government is boosting both the speed and quantity of the Hong Kong Park project, which will be developed in two phases from west to east.

The first-phase development’s gross floor area will be doubled to 1 million sq m. Construction of the first three buildings will be completed in phases, from the end of this year.

The first batch of tenants, from the life and health technology, AI, data science and other pillar industries, will begin to move in next year. The remaining five buildings will be completed in the coming five years.

The Government is also exploring with the Mainland authorities the trial implementation of innovative facilitation measures.

These include facilitating cross-boundary travel of designated personnel from the two parks, enabling the cross-boundary movement of materials by using low altitude, unmanned aerial vehicles, and facilitating cross-boundary fund transfers by Mainland enterprises settling in the Hong Kong Park.

Bay area strengths

Turning to Greater Bay Area (GBA) development, Mr Lee said he has established the Steering Group on Integration into National Development to lead the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and all sectors of the community to be more proactive in promoting the integrated development of Hong Kong and the Mainland, particularly the Mainland cities of the GBA.

The Chief Executive said the Government will continue to promote GBA development by building a higher level of connectivity, facilitating policy innovations and breakthroughs, pursuing wider harmonisation of rules and mechanisms, and expediting the co-ordinated development of I&T and related industries.

The Government will work with the Dongguan Municipal Government, among others, to jointly develop a permanent Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Dongguan Logistics Park.

It will also seek to combine the strengths of the HKIA and Zhuhai Airport by enhancing the Fly Via Zhuhai Hong Kong direct passenger service and promoting the development of the international air-cargo business in collaboration with the Zhuhai Municipality.

On recognition of professional qualifications, Mr Lee said that following the establishment, in collaboration with Guangdong, of an evaluation mechanism in relation to post titles for the first batch of Hong Kong engineering professionals, the Government will do the same for other construction professions on a gradual basis. 

The Government is also collaborating with Guangdong and Macau to create GBA Standards on the skill levels of skilled workers in the construction sector, and will adopt the “One Examination, Multiple Certification” arrangement. Under this arrangement, those who pass examinations adopting the GBA Standards can concurrently obtain vocational skill certificates issued by the three places.

To accelerate development of the pharmaceutical industry, the Government will work to enable the cross-boundary use of data, samples, drugs and medical devices through the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform and the Real World Study & Application Centre in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

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