Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis master plan, explained: how the bold proposal to build a new I&T hub will drive integration with Shenzen and the Greater Bay Area
- Up to 900,000 new homes are slated to be built over the next 20 years as part of the proposals to create a new economic hub focused on innovation and technology (I&T)
- While many question marks remain, progress is expected to speed up following the appointment of Vic Yau Cheuk-hang as of lead the new Northern Metropolis Coordination Office
Hong Kong’s plans to develop a large swathe of its territory as a Northern Metropolis are nothing if not bold. In broad outline, they call for the transformation of roughly 30,000 hectares of land into a new economic hub focused on innovation and technology (I&T), intended to drive further integration with Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
The initiative is expected to span today’s Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and Sheung Shui, as well as neighbouring rural areas and current “new development areas” (NDAs) such as Fanling North and Ping Che, Ta Kwu Ling.
Change, though, is writ large, with the holistic concept for the mega-project also aiming to upgrade infrastructure, attract other industries, enhance community facilities, and boost housing supply with the construction of up to 900,000 new homes over the next 20 years or so.
It is a lot to digest and may seem a long way ahead.
However, the recent appointment of government official Vic Yau Cheuk-hang to lead the newly-established Northern Metropolis Coordination Office (NMCO) is the clearest sign yet that wheels are starting to turn.
The basic task set for the NMCO is to oversee planning and draw up a road map for development within the year. Its initial statement admits that it is a “mammoth undertaking”, which will require close liaison with bureaus and departments responsible for everything from housing supply and industry, to transport and ecological conservation.
