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Policy Address

56. Upon completion, the Northern Metropolis will emerge as a "new international I&T city", integrating quality life, new economies, and culture and leisure. Innovative urban design will help promote home-job balance, green living and the co-existence of development and conservation. We will fully leverage the advantages of the Northern Metropolis's proximity to the hinterland to promote the comprehensive development of control point areas. On its west, the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (NDA) will be the focus. With its geographical proximity to Qianhai, it will become a central business district with a catchment reaching Shenzhen and even the GBA. The central part, with the San Tin Technopole as its core, will pool I&T enterprises and create synergy with Shenzhen's I&T cluster just across the river, becoming a diversified test bed for innovation. Modern industries in the New Territories North New Town can also benefit from collaboration with Shenzhen. Endowed with rich natural and tourism resources, the east side is best placed for recreation and tourism development for Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We will:

  1. press ahead with land creation and housing construction – We will take forward in full swing major projects that have commenced in Kwu Tung North/Fanling North, Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long South, etc. Planning for the majority of other development projects, including San Tin Technopole, has already commenced. Our target is to commence land resumption procedures for all development projects within five years, and to form 40% of the new development land and complete 40% of the new flats within 10 years;

  2. increase development intensity – We will make the best use of the land resources in the Northern Metropolis by adopting higher plot ratios. As a guideline, the maximum plot ratio for residential sites will be 6.5 (higher than that of 5 for earlier generations of new towns like Sha Tin), while that for commercial sites will be 9.5;