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Vivian Au

Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject near the border with mainland China will adopt laws to streamline land approval procedures from nine to two months in a move to speed up its development, the South China Morning Post has learned.
Sources said that details of the dedicated legislation for the Northern Metropolis would be announced on Tuesday, with a major highlight being the shortening of land-use approval procedures.
These measures align with the newly unveiled 15th national five-year plan, emphasising the city’s role as an international financial hub. The blueprint highlights the city’s role in strengthening offshore renminbi business, bolstering supply chain services and accelerating the Northern Metropolis megaproject.
The Northern Metropolis project, first announced in 2021, aims to turn 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) of land into an engine for economic growth and a housing hub.
It is understood that the government aims to shorten the process of changing land use to as short as two months.
Currently, developers are required to submit an application to the Town Planning Board, attend meetings and undergo consultations to change the land use specified in the outline zoning plan. The process usually takes around nine months.
In contrast, applications that only require planning permission with no change in land uses can be processed in as little as two months.
“The town planning process will be streamlined under the proposal so that [developers] will not be required to submit an application to change the land use,” a source said.
The government was expected to provide further specifics on Tuesday, another insider added.
Meanwhile, the legal framework is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the Legislative Council’s development panel on March 24.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho earlier told the panel that authorities would propose the main framework of the law by early this year, with subsidiary regulations to be formulated later to accommodate the evolving development process of the megaproject.
She added that some of the permitted uses of land were relatively restrictive but did not provide further details.

Linn said that the provisions would be drafted in a “relatively flexible” manner to accommodate work that could span more than a decade.
Authorities expected the legislation to be passed and implemented this year.
This is not the first time that authorities have proposed streamlining the town planning process.
In 2023, the government reduced the duration of the city’s land formation process by as much as six years. Those reforms included shortening a town planning mechanism from 11 months to seven by compressing three rounds of public consultations into one.
The dedicated legislation had previously raised concerns that the megaproject could operate as a “special administrative region”, but authorities stressed that existing laws would still apply except for specific ones related to development that would be altered to expedite processes.
Separately, Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, said the body was “fully committed” to supporting a government plan to establish a dedicated entity to spearhead the development of the San Tin Technopole in the Northern Metropolis.
“This initiative will position the technopole as a premier innovation hub and strategic base for cultivating new quality productive forces,” he told the SCMP.
He added that the technopole, an innovation hub near the border, would take on the task of transforming the scientific research achievements of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone in the Lok Ma Chau Loop and carrying out industrialisation.


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Hong Kong society

Northern Metropolis to streamline land approval process from 9 to 2 months: sources

The Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area in Tuen Mun. Photo: Eugene Lee

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho has said that authorities will propose the main framework of the law by early this year. Photo: Karma Lo

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A view of San Tin Technopole, located in the Northern Metropolis. Photo: May Tse

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Delegates at the opening session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5, 2025. Photo: AFP

Xia Baolong is scheduled to meet local delegates in a closed-door session on Tuesday. Photo: HKMAO 

Chief Executive John Lee will attend the NPC’s opening meeting. Photo: Elson Li

Lau Siu-kai expects Beijing to highlight Hong Kong’s financial role during the two sessions. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Legal framework for Northern Metropolis to be tabled at Legco on March 24

The Northern Metropolis is a megaproject located in the northern New Territories. Photo: Eugene Lee

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn has said the planned framework’s provisions will be drafted in a “relatively flexible” manner to accommodate works that could span more than a decade. Photo: Karma Lo

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New legislation intended to align with newly unveiled 15th national five-year plan and speed up megaproject development


New legislation intended to align with newly unveiled 15th national five-year plan and speed up megaproject development.


Northern Metropolis to streamline land approval process from 9 to 2 months: sources

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New legislation intended to align with newly unveiled 15th national five-year plan and speed up megaproject development

New legislation intended to align with newly unveiled 15th national five-year plan and speed up megaproject development