Hong Kong passes bill to speed up development of Northern Metropolis megaproject
Hong Kong’s legislature has given the green light to legislation aimed at expediting the development of the Northern Metropolis megaproject near the border with mainland China, with the government saying the bill will help achieve targets in the city’s first five-year plan. Lawmakers completed the third reading of the Northern Metropolis Development Bill and unanimously passed it on Thursday. The…
Hong Kong’s legislature has approved legislation to accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis megaproject near the mainland border, aiming to meet targets set in the city’s first five-year plan from 2026-2030. The Northern Metropolis Development Bill, passed unanimously on Thursday after eight hours of debate over two days, will facilitate the creation of 900 hectares of buildable land, supporting industrial, residential and public facility growth.
The bill streamlines town planning, expedites land compensation, speeds up construction and eases cross-border movement of people, goods, data and capital. The government, led by Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, aims to table subsidiary legislation in stages, with the first addressing immigration procedures at the cross-border innovation and technology park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop.
Lawmakers emphasized the need for clear data protection regulations, timely financial disclosures for statutory corporations and single-platform handling of project applications to ensure efficient project development.
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