Hong Kong lawmakers have passed a bill to streamline the multi-billion-dollar Northern Metropolis plan, with an official saying that authorities aim to implement facilitatory measures in the first quarter of next year.
This photo shows the area that will become Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis, with Shenzhen’s skyline in the background. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.The Legislative Council (LegCo) on Thursday passed the third reading of the Northern Metropolis Development Bill, dedicated legislation that would streamline planning and land procedures and expedite construction and industrial operations in the sprawling project.
The legislation would also facilitate the cross-boundary flow of capital, goods and people, as authorities seek to deepen Hong Kong’s integration with mainland China through the mega-project.
Once enacted, the approval period for rezoning non-conservation areas for development could be cut from nine months to two, while land resumption and urban planning procedures would be simplified.
Development chief Bernadette Linn said on Thursday that authorities were aiming to table subsidiary legislation to LegCo in January and roll out concrete measures in the first quarter.
“At this stage we do not seek an all-encompassing piece of legislation capable of addressing every possible scenario,” Linn told lawmakers in Cantonese. “As the Northern Metropolis development progresses, new legislation will be introduced and existing ordinances will be amended as necessary.”
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.The mega-project, announced in 2021, is set to transform about 300 square kilometres – roughly a third of the city’s territory – into an innovation and technology hub alongside Hong Kong’s border with Shenzhen.
On Wednesday, authorities and the MTR Corporation, Hong Kong’s railway operator, announced that a new line linking the Northern Metropolis with the city’s existing metro network would cost about HK$86.2 billion – down more than a quarter from original estimates.
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