Hong Kong Planning Department: Northern Metropolis Area Drives Economic and Industrial Development to Become a New Engine of Hong Kong's Development.

Director of the Hong Kong Planning Department Leaf Chi-Ki stated at a forum that the northern metropolitan area will provide vast land and space to drive economic and industrial development, becoming a new driving force for Hong Kong's development and an important communication platform with other cities in the Greater Bay Area. Chi-Ki mentioned that the entire northern district involves approximately 30,000 hectares of land, representing around one-third of Hong Kong's area. It will provide over 3,000 hectares of new development land and 500,000 residential units, creating 500,000 job opportunities. He pointed out that the government has streamlined statutory procedures, including amending 6 laws and procedures related to development by 2023, shortening the land reclamation process for large-scale projects in new development areas from 13 years to 7 years. In terms of administrative procedures, several urban planning guidelines have been revised, with the Planning Department playing a facilitating role by providing planning advice to project initiators and coordinating government departments to provide written opinions on planning applications within 3 weeks to accelerate development. Director of the Lands Department, Lo Kam-Wa, stated that after comprehensive development, the entire northern district can accommodate 2.5 million people, becoming an international innovation and technology new city. The Lands Department is fully assisting in promoting the development of the northern district, including the four new development areas of Kam Tin North/Fanling North, Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long South, and New Tin Science and Technology City, actively acquiring and clearing over 800 hectares of land. In the next 5 years, the northern part is expected to provide at least 570 hectares of developed land, involving over 60,000 residential units and 1 million square meters of economic floor area.