The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The President of Legislative Council (LegCo), Dr Starry Lee, members of the Panel on Development, and other Members, visited the Northern Metropolis (NM) today (March 26) to gain insight into the overall planning of the NM and the latest industry development of the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen (HSK/HT) New Development Area (NDA), which is located at the western part of the NM.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, and the Acting Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Clement Woo, Members got a bird's eye view of HSK/HT and the surrounding area in Tin Shui Wai to understand the planning and development of the NDA. Members received a briefing from the Government on the development of the Industry Park and modern logistics cluster in the area, as well as the strategic transport infrastructure related to the NM development.

     Members learnt that the Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited, which is responsible for the development and operation of the around 23-hectare industry sites located in HSK, is expected to commence operation in mid-2026. Members agreed that the development of the HSK Industry Park will help accelerate the bringing in of industries to the NM and the development of an industry ecosystem, thereby transforming into new impetus for Hong Kong's economic growth and promoting the development of economic diversification in Hong Kong. To facilitate and expedite topside developments by the Government and the private sector, as well as promoting industry anchoring and operation, the Government has proposed introducing dedicated legislation. Members expressed recognition for the directions of the dedicated legislation, and stated that they will scrutinise the bill during the legislative process to ensure that its provisions not only achieve the legislative objectives, but also take public opinion into account.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Members also visited the site planned for developing the NM University Town in the HSK/HT NDA and learnt how to expand its scale to further strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international hub for post-secondary education. Moreover, Members were briefed on the progress of the tender exercise of the pilot area for large-scale land disposal in HSK/HT.

     Members also visited the HSK/HT NDA Community Liaison Centre and toured the immersive digital experience zone, where they gained a deeper understanding of the overall development blueprint for the NM and its smart green transportation network through a sand table model. During the visit, Members and representatives of the Government exchanged views on, among other topics, how to expedite the NM's development through the introduction of dedicated legislation.

     A total of 46 Members attended the visit. In addition to members of the Panel on Development, other non-members also attended.

Ends/Thursday, March 26, 2026
Issued at HKT 23:40

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