Development of Northern Metropolis requires role of market, John Lee says

The Legislative Council held a Question and Answer Session in the morning today (Oct. 17) regarding the 2024 Policy Address. Chief Executive John Lee attends and answers questions raised by the LegCo members.

LegCo member Lau Kwok-fan said that the Policy Address describes the Northern Metropolis project as gradually entering a harvesting phase. He believes that to achieve it, it is necessary to continue deepening reforms, change the way of government's approval, and address the issues of long project durations and high costs.

According to the Chief Executive, Lau stated that three pilot areas have already been identified in the Northern Metropolis. Lau asked if the Chief Executive could disclose the locations of these pilot areas and how the current economic environment could encourage private sector participation in the development model.

He also inquired whether the government would establish specific regulations for companies in the Northern Metropolis and allow them to participate in the integrated land development in the area.

In response, John Lee stated that a dedicated team has been established to promote this initiative. He believes that civil servants join the government to serve the public and emphasizes that service is an important element of promotion. He noted that system optimization must continue.

Regarding the pilot areas in the Northern Metropolis, Lee indicated that details would be explained from a technical perspective by the Development Bureau, emphasizing that there are various considerations.

He added that for such large-scale developments to be expedited and made more efficient, relying solely on the government is insufficient, and the market is also important.

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