Move Ahead with the Northern Metropolis as the New Engine for Growth

The Northern Metropolis is a new engine for Hong Kong's future growth. Upon full development, it will provide about 500,000 new housing units and create 500,000 new jobs. Adopting an "industry-driven and infrastructure-led" approach as its key planning axle, the Northern Metropolis will forge a major hub for Hong Kong to integrate into the overall development of our country.

The HKSAR Government published the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda on 30 Oct 2023. The Action Agenda outlines the development blueprint of the Northern Metropolis in detail, including the development positioning of the four major zones, major developments, conservation projects, development programme, etc., and contains a specific chapter on how the Government plans and provides land based on the needs of different industries, in line with the “industry-driven” development approach.

Some of the highlights of the Northern Metropolis Action Agenda are set out below.

Vision and Target
With the vision to develop the Northern Metropolis into a “new international Innovation and Technology city”, integrating quality life, industry development, culture and leisure, and promoting a better home-job balance and green living, the following specific development goals for Northern Metropolis are set:

• Providing land and housing
• Industry-driven planning and better home-job balance
• Promoting integration of the Greater Bay Area
• Infrastructure-led, railways as backbone
• Developing “Northern Metropolis University Town”
• Ecological conservation, urban-rural integration
• Developing diversified arts, culture, sports and youth facilities
• Establishing presence of government departments to drive development

Development positioning of the four major zones in Northern Metropolis

1.    High-end professional services and logistics hub
With advantages of being close to Shenzhen Bay Port as well as Qianhai Cooperation Zone and Nanshan District, and to be connected by Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu- Qianhai) and Hong Kong Island West-Hung Shui Kiu Rail Link.

Development theme and industry positioning:

• Promote and deepen high-end economic cooperation with Qianhai Cooperation Zone and Nanshan District in areas of finance, professional services and logistics services, to be transformed into a modern services centre
• High-end professional services will be the industry positioning for Hung Shui Kiu (HSK)/ Ha Tsuen (HT), helping enterprises in Qianhai, Nanshan and elsewhere in the Mainland to expand their overseas markets through Hong Kong
• HSK/HT will also be a major modern logistics hub which, together with Yuen Long South (YLS), provides more than 70 ha of logistics land
• Digital technology hub will be the main industry positioning for Lau Fau Shan, while it also has potential to develop eco-tourism; development proposal of Lau Fau Shan to be released in 2024

2.    Innovation and Technology Zone
A hub for clustered innovation and technology (I&T) development to create synergy with the adjoining Shenzhen I&T Zone.

Development theme and industry positioning:

• San Tin Technopole will provide about 300 ha of I&T land, capable of accommodating 7 million m2 of gross floor area, equivalent to 17 Science Parks
• HSITP in the Loop and Shenzhen I&T Zone will form the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone
• First 3 buildings of HSITP will be completed in phases from end 2024. Site formation of first batch of I&T land in San Tin Technopole will commence in the same year, with completion in 2026 the earliest
• To reserve land for post-secondary institutions in Ngau Tam Mei nearby with a focus on scientific research, promoting “research, academic and industry” collaboration; development proposal of Ngau Tam Mei to be released in 2024

3.    Boundary Commerce and Industry Zone
With 3 boundary control points (BCPs), New Territories North (NTN) New Town has potential to develop various BCP related economic uses or uses that require larger land area for operation.

Development theme and industry positioning:

• NTN New Town: suitable for developing business services, retail financial services, healthcare services and leisure consumption
• A foothold of modern logistics industry; provides space for reindustralisation; may accommodate emerging industries such as food technology, green/environmental industry and advanced construction industry, etc.
• To reserve land near Heung Yuen Wai BCP for facilities such as boundary crossing and inspection facilities for fresh food. Man Kam To to become a passenger-only BCP
• Land for manufacturing and storage of MiC modules and relevant research
• Land for green environmental industry including EcoParkII
• To change 2 ha of formed site in Sandy Ridge to I&T and related purposes - a “spade-ready” site available for I&T use in the short-term
• Kwu Tung North (KTN)/ Fanling North - primarily residential communities and a place where government offices concentrate

4.    Blue and Green Recreation, Tourism and Conservation Circle
Abundant natural resources as well as quite a number of traditional rural townships, with potential for development of recreation and tourism. Sha Tau Kok Town is currently the only township in Hong Kong that is located within Frontier Closed Area, with great historical significance and uniqueness.

Development theme and industry positioning:

• Take forward Phase Two scheme on opening up Sha Tau Kok Closed Area (except Chung Ying Street)
• Explore with Shenzhen Municipal Government the feasibility of establishing a cultural tourism zone
• Establish the Robin’s Nest Country Park, work with Shenzhen to build an ecological corridor connecting Hong Kong and Shenzhen

Milestones of Development
The Government will expedite the implementation of the Northern Metropolis under the principle of enhancing quantity, speed, efficiency and quality, with the following indicators as objectives:

• To release land use and development proposals for all new land development projects in or before 2024
• To commence land resumption procedures for all major development projects in or before 2027
• To form 40% of the new development land and complete 40% of the new flats in or before 2032

Details of key milestones of developments are outlined in the Action Agenda.

Read more:
Press release - Press Conference on Northern Metropolis Action Agenda (in Chinese only):
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202310/30/P2023103000539.htm
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202310/30/P2023103000569.htm

Presentation slide used in Press Conference on Northern Metropolis Action Agenda:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202310/30/P2023103000569_437556_1_1698665043730.pdf

Northern Metropolis Action Agenda 2023: https://www.devb.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_29/NM_Eng_Booklet_Web.pdf