Northern Metropolis Development Bill gazetted today
The Government gazetted the Northern Metropolis Development Bill today (3 July) with a view to further streamlining planning and lands procedures, expediting construction works, and facilitating industry operation for the Northern Metropolis (NM). The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council (LegCo) for first and second readings on July 8.
Central Government Offices, Photo source: reference image
The NM has entered the phase of full-scale construction and enterprise establishment. The Government has to expedite development and respond swiftly to meet the needs of enterprises. The nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports accelerating the NM's development, which fully demonstrates the high importance that the country attaches to the NM, and the NM’s strategic role in integrating Hong Kong into and serving overall national development.
The Bill will specify six policy areas to facilitate the NM's development, and empower the Chief Executive in Council (CE-in-C) to enact subsidiary legislation in those six areas to formulate the implementation details of the relevant policy measures. The specification of policy areas by primary legislation, with subsidiary legislation regulating the implementation details, will provide the Government with the flexibility to adjust the implementation details to meet the evolving development needs of the NM in a timely manner as necessary. Together with the Bill, the Government has submitted the draft of the first batch of subsidiary legislation for LegCo’s preview. It should be emphasised that the draft subsidiary legislation at this stage is submitted for reference by LegCo members only, enabling members to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the details of these facilitation measures when scrutinising the Bill. The Government will formally submit the first batch of subsidiary legislation to LegCo after passage of the Bill.
The Bill will provide the basis for the following legislative proposals:
(1) Delineating the areas of the NM: The Bill applies to the NM only, and certain facilitation measures may apply to designated areas within the NM to suit the needs. The areas described in Schedule 1 to the Bill will be delineated as the areas of the NM. The CE-in-C will be empowered to amend the areas of the NM under two specified circumstances, including adjustments in response to boundary amendment of North District or Yuen Long District, or of the relevant Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs);
(2) Streamlining town planning procedures: Applicants may apply for a change in land uses or relaxation of development parameters/requirements for land or buildings within designated areas of the NM via simpler and expedited procedures, which are similar to Section 16 of the Town Planning Ordinance (TPO), thereby compressing the procedures from typically at least nine months to just two months. It should be noted that the proposed streamlined procedures will not apply to conservation zones and areas where the Government has indicated its intention to prepare new OZPs through the plan making procedures. Besides, applicants must fully adhere to the procedures similar to Section 16 of the TPO, including carrying out of technical assessments to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the development proposals to the Town Planning Board. Such applications will also be made available for public inspection for three weeks, during which the public may submit views. Furthermore, in addition to making regulation for the arrangement of the aforementioned application procedures and the granting of permission, the CE-in-C may make regulations to extend the duration for temporary uses or developments of land or buildings within the NM up to seven years;
(3) Expediting compensation payment for land resumed: To reduce the Government’s interest liability arising from outstanding compensation payment, thereby better concentrating resources in the actual development of the NM, it is proposed that, if the former owners or other claimants fail to accept provisional payment offers within the three-month time limit specified by the Government in the offers, the interest-bearing arrangement for the compensation will cease upon the expiry of the time limit. Furthermore, where the land resumed was held in the name of a tso/t’ong, the Government may make compensation payment (including by way of provisional payment) and any interest payable thereon to the registered manager(s) of the tso/t’ong, provided that there is no vacancy in the office of the registered manager(s). The aforementioned proposals will apply to the land in the NM resumed before, on or after the commencement of the relevant provisions of the Bill;
(4) Promoting innovation and quality in works: Regarding applications for modification or exemption under section 42(1) of the Buildings Ordinance (BO), it is proposed that, if an application is in respect of any works in the NM as specified by the CE-in-C in the gazette notice, so long as the Building Authority is satisfied that there exist circumstances of facilitating innovation and enhancing quality in works, etc., as specified in the gazette notice, it can be regarded as meeting the requirement of special circumstances under section 42(1) where the Building Authority may consider permitting modifications or exemption of the provisions of the BO;
(5) Streamlining the procedures and requirements for Construction Noise Permit (CNP) applications: While maintaining the prevailing noise control standards, it is proposed to streamline the procedures and requirements for CNP applications for relevant areas or projects. The Secretary for Environment and Ecology will be empowered to issue a Technical Memorandum for specified NM construction works (NM-TM), while the Noise Control Authority may issue CNPs for the NM construction works specified by the CE-in-C in the regulation (including industry-driven development areas and major transport infrastructure projects within the NM) in accordance with the NM-TM;
(6) Facilitating and regulating cross-boundary flow of factors of production: It is proposed to empower the CE-in-C to make regulations to facilitate and regulate specified cross-boundary flows, including the flow of persons, goods or other articles (such as bio-samples, plant and equipment), as well as the transfer of data, information or other intangibles, or capital. Specifically, to facilitate the movement of personnel associated with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP), it is proposed to specify in the regulation the categories and the application arrangements of the “White List” personnel to enter or leave the HSITP by crossing the boundary. It is also proposed to empower the relevant authorities, subject to the meeting of specified requirements, to direct disapplication of certain provisions under legislation such as those relating to air quality and noise control, etc., in respect of the use of construction equipment and other articles for specified cross-boundary transport infrastructure projects, with a view to enhancing the efficiency of the cross-boundary infrastructure projects; and
(7) Establishing statutory corporations for designated areas: It is proposed that the CE-in-C be empowered to make regulations relating to the establishment of statutory corporations.
The Government will fully co-operate with LegCo in its scrutiny of the Bill, and strive to achieve the passage of the Bill within this year, and then formally submit the first batch of subsidiary legislation to LegCo.
The Government conducted a public consultation for about two months from March 24 to May 22, 2026, and consulted the LegCo Panel on Development on March 24 and June 23, 2026. There is general support in society for introducing dedicated legislation to accelerate the development of the NM. In response to the public views received, the Government has made refinements to the legislative proposals, and briefed the LegCo Panel on Development on June 23, 2026.
For details of the Bill, please refer to the LegCo Brief issued today.
The Northern Metropolis, Photo source: reference image
