LegCo Secretariat releases Policy Pulse on "Northern Metropolis: Accelerating development through industry-driven momentum"
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The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan approved by the National People's Congress this month expresses explicit support for expediting the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM). The development of the NM, which accounts for approximately one-third of Hong Kong's total land area and planned population, has entered a new stage, with the focus now on expediting construction works, as well as promoting the entry and operation of industries. The Legislative Council (LegCo) Secretariat today (March 25) released the latest issue of the Policy Pulse on "Northern Metropolis: Accelerating development through industry-driven momentum". This issue provides a brief overview on the latest developments in the NM, including the enactment of dedicated legislation for the NM, the status of supporting industries in establishing a presence in the region, the layout of an innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem, the planning for the University Town, transport infrastructure, and the concurrent pursuit of development and conservation. It also summarizes the relevant discussions in LegCo and suggestions by Members.
The Government has introduced a series of specific initiatives to support the development of the NM. Since the inception of the Eighth LegCo, Members have actively offered constructive advice and suggestions for the development of the NM, including setting up the Subcommittee on Matters Relating to the Development of the NM, conducting a thematic policy briefing session on the development of the NM, as well as passing a Member's motion on expediting the development of the NM last month. LegCo will launch a series of duty visits to the NM, with the first visit taking place tomorrow (March 26), to enable Members to put forward more precise and targeted policy recommendations based on first-hand information.
Yesterday (March 24), the Government began a 2-month public consultation on introducing dedicated legislation for the NM, with a view to introducing the bill into LegCo for First Reading in mid-2026. The LegCo Panel on Development was also consulted on the matter. The proposed dedicated legislation has three main objectives, namely to further remove barriers in respect of planning and lands procedures, to expedite construction works, and to facilitate industry operation. The Policy Pulse details the relaxation measures in six major areas under the dedicated legislation, as well as Members' views and suggestions on the proposed legislation. Members hope that the Government strengthen communication and publicity during the legislative process and before presenting the subsidiary legislation. They also suggest that the dedicated legislation should dovetail with the Regulations of Hetao Shenzhen Park enacted by Shenzhen to support Shenzhen-Hong Kong joint scientific research and the cross-boundary use of capital, thereby giving full play to the unique advantages of "one zone, two parks".
The Policy Pulse also highlights that the development of the NM is market driven, industry-oriented and diversed. Positioned as a hub for high-end professional services and logistics, the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area is one of the first areas in the NM to be taken forward for development. The Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited (Park Company), established in January this year, is tasked to lead the development and operation of the around 23-hectare industry park under a commercially flexible model. The Government plans to seek the LegCo Finance Committee's approval in the second quarter of 2026 for injecting $10 billion into the Park Company as its start-up capital. Members consider that the Government should clarify the substantive differences between the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park, the Science Park and Cyberport in their autonomy in attracting enterprises and investment, and also their mode of operation. They also highlight the need to avoid functional overlap or competitions between the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park and the San Tin Technopole. Moreover, Members also propose the Park Company should make flexible use of methods such as capital participation, profit-sharing, rental exemptions or business matching when co-operating with enterprises and avoid confining itself to the mode of property leasing.
On building an I&T ecosystem, the Policy Pulse notes that there is a delineation of functions and collaboration among the core zone of the NM, where the Hetao Hong Kong Park focuses on research and development in the upstream and midstream sectors, the San Tin Technopole serves as a pilot production and transformation platform, while the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster Site is positioned as a computing infrastructure hub. Members propose developing Hetao and the San Tin Technopole into an integrated energy system featuring green electricity, computing power and low-carbon emissions, as well as leveraging green electricity, computing power and low-carbon emission to support the NM to ensure the NM's energy supply is moderately ahead of demand. Members also propose incorporating the San Tin Technopole into the Hetao Co-operation Zone so as to secure more policy resources, and allow the San Tin Technopole to benefit from the cross-boundary facilitation measures for Hetao.
The Policy Pulse points out that to align with the development of the I&T industry and to promote Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education, the NM University Town has been expanded to about 100 hectares. Meanwhile, the site formation works for the first batch of 9 hectares of land in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen earmarked for the NM University Town will be completed this year, with the area positioned to host high-end professional services and vocational and professional education. Members are of the view that proactive efforts should be made to attract top-notch international institutions and research institutions to establish a base in the University Town. A dedicated agency should also be set up to coordinate overseas student recruitment and talent attraction efforts. Members also urge that the planning of the University Town be coordinated with the development of neighbouring industry land, forming an integrated and synergistic industry-academia-research pattern, so as to encourage universities and enterprises to jointly develop I&T platforms, thereby fostering the rapid transformation of research outcomes into industry applications.
The Policy Pulse also notes the transport infrastructure planning for the NM and the coexistence of development and nature conservation in the area. The proposed dedicated legislation for the NM stipulates that the arrangements for streamlined town planning procedures do not apply to land that are classified as conservation zones. Members support the Government's gradual resumption of private wetlands and fish ponds, integrating them with adjacent government land to connect Mai Po, the Wetland Park and Long Valley, thereby forming a wetland conservation park system. Members also propose the early planning of drone take-off and landing sites and cross-boundary flight routes in the NM, developing the NM into a testing ground and hub for the low-altitude economy.
The detailed content of "Northern Metropolis: Accelerating development through industry-driven momentum" is available on the LegCo Website. The Policy Pulse, published by the Council Business Divisions of the LegCo Secretariat, covers specific topics and offers a comprehensive overview of related policy developments and summarizes discussions in LegCo.
Ends/Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Issued at HKT 23:57
Issued at HKT 23:57
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