Land and Development Advisory Committee holds meeting
At its meeting today (October 16), the Land and Development Advisory Committee was briefed by the Development Bureau (DEVB) on major initiatives related to the Bureau in the Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address (Policy Address), as well as the development proposal for Lung Kwu Tan Reclamation (LKT) and the re-planning of Tuen Mun West area (TMW).
Members supported the Government's commitment to sustaining its land creation efforts in a paced manner to provide a steady land supply to meet the economic and society needs of Hong Kong, and the proposed innovative initiatives which responded to the market condition as well as the views and needs of the industry and professional bodies. These key measures included:
(a) Sustaining Land Creation in a Paced Manner: the projected completion of developable land over the next decade would reach approximately 2600 hectares, with around 70 per cent coming from the Northern Metropolis (NM). It is estimated that the target of delivering approximately 150 hectares of developable land within the current fiscal year would be attained. The Government would also continue to advance various land formation projects, including LKT, Tseung Kwan O Area 137 and Area 132, as well as the expansion of Tung Chung New Town.
(b) Expediting the NM development: establishment of a new high-level governance structure, namely the Northern Metropolis Development Committee chaired by the Chief Executive, underpinned by three working groups on design of development and operation models, planning and construction of the UniTown, and planning and development respectively. Other key initiatives to speed up development of NM include a dedicated legislation to streamline statutory procedures, set up statutory industry park and dedicated funding channels, and speed up approvals and land resumption and compensation. The Government will also streamline administrative procedures and remove barriers, as well as promote investment and public-private partnerships, through phased development approach, flexible arrangements for premium calculation and granting of tenancies, etc. Some of these measures will also be applicable to the whole territory.
(c) Supporting Industry Development: The Government will implement a number of initiatives to promote industry development, including the "Hostels in the City Scheme" to encourage the market to increase supply of student hostels to consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international post-secondary education hub; taking forward projects for yacht berthing space to support the development of yacht economy; enriching visitor experience of rural eco-tour; and coordinating works related to beautifying the streetscape of Lan Kwan Fong and streets nearby, which would be implemented by phases.
(d) Urban Renewal and Releasing industrial Land in Urban Areas: to accelerateurban renewal to address the problem of aging buildings, the Government has proposed three measures with a new mind-set, namely reserving three sites in NM new development areas for the Urban Renewal Authority to build new flats under the revamped Flat-for-Flat Scheme; relaxing arrangements for transfer of plot ratio by allowing cross-district transfer of under-utilised plot ratio to NM or other districts; and introducing additional plot ratio incentives for private redevelopment projects in the seven designated areas and allowing encashment of such additional plot ratio to offset the premium payable for projects in NM or other districts. Furthermore, the Government will commence a new round of study on industrial land to explore the future of the revitalisation scheme for industrial buildings.
(e) Reducing Construction Cost: to reduce construction costs and enhance efficiency, the Government will streamline approval procedures for large-scale development works and establish dedicated units within the DEVB to expedite the processing of public works projects; relax the gross floor area exemption arrangement for carparks in private developments; and introduce various cost control measures, including launching the "Project Cost Management Platform", reviewing construction standards and requirement, conducting central procurement on a trial basis, etc.
Members applauded the measures accelerating the development of NM, in particular the establishment of a high-level committee chaired by the Chief Executive and the three working groups, as well as the introduction of a dedicated legislation. Members suggested ensuring sufficient prior consultation with the industries, professional bodies and other stakeholders, and opined that the software aspects of NM such as enhancing the liveability of the district, provision of sufficient community and cultural facilities, and efficient transport connectivity and sufficient variety of employment opportunities, were equally important. Members also supported the Government's initiatives to encourage provision of more student hostels in the market, and suggested closer collaboration with the educational institutions and developers to address their needs. While expressing support for the measures to streamline approval and encourage more industry participation, such as "pay for what you build" and more flexible land grant arrangements, Members suggested the Government further engage the industry and stakeholders to ensure that the implementation details were practicable and would meet the needs of developers and users.
Members supported the proposed measures to speed up the pace of urban renewal, in light of the rapidly ageing building stock, and suggested the Government consider innovative models to facilitate more private sector participation. Members also recognised the Government's effort to conduct beautification works for Lan Kwai Fong, and suggested expanding the scope to the surrounding streets, inviting more participation and collaboration with the shop owners/operators in the district and the professional sectors, improving pedestrian connectivity and incorporating elderly-friendly designs.
The Government would continue to solicit the views and feedback of stakeholders, including industry and professional bodies, with a view to rolling out the proposed measures in batches starting from early 2026.
Members were also briefed on the Government's development proposal for LKT and TMW, and generally supported the industry-led positioning for developing the area into a "Smart and Green Industrial Port" for four core industries, namely green/new energy, advanced construction, circular economy and modern logistics/River Trade Terminal, with a view to making full use of the strategic location, extensive sea frontage, and convenient transport network of LKT and TMW to foster the growth of these industries and advance their green and smart development. The proposal would be able to provide up to 301 hectares of new developable land (including around 190 hectares of new land to be created through near-shore reclamation and around 111 hectares of existing land through re-planning). In addition, Members appreciated that the proposed development would uplift the overall environment and infrastructure of LKT and TMW, which would preserve natural shorelines and help promote urban rural integration. The preliminary development proposal also includes enhancement to the local road transport connections to meet the extra transport demand arising from the development of these industries.
Members suggested that the Government consider adopting a phased approach in conducting reclamation and rolling out different land parcels, dovetailing with the needs and policy priorities of various industries. For instance, sites not involving reclamation could be formed first to allow the industry's early utilisation of the new land to take advantage of development opportunities in a timely manner. Members also opined that the Government should review the overall planning and detailed land use of specific land parcels taking into account the views gathered from the public and relevant stakeholders. Members reminded the Government to put forward other road infrastructure projects under planning such as Nim Wan Road and Deep Bay Road which would further improve connectivity of the proposed development.
The Government will continue to engage stakeholders and take into account the views expressed by Members and the feedback received from the public engagement exercise conducted earlier when finalising the land use proposal, with a target to commence rezoning and other statutory procedures within 2026.
Source: AI-found images
