Hong Kong's Development Bureau unveiled six subsidiary laws on Tuesday to remove bottlenecks in the Northern Metropolis project. A key measure shortens town planning procedures in non-conservation areas from nine months to two. Experts say it will not undermine the Town Planning Board's authority.
Hong Kong's Development Bureau unveiled a package of six subsidiary laws on Tuesday—published around March 17-18, 2026—to address bottlenecks in the Northern Metropolis, a large-scale New Territories scheme near the mainland China border. The measures include establishing statutory firms, speeding up land resumption payments, and adopting new building technologies. A key proposal shortens town planning procedures in non-conservation areas from typically nine months to around two months by reducing Town Planning Board review rounds from two to one. Currently, developers must submit applications to the board, attend meetings, and undergo consultations to amend land use in outline zoning plans, a process that usually takes nine months. Lawmaker Andrew Lam Siu-lo, a professional town planner, argued that the legislation provides holistic flexibility to accelerate the megaproject, not just streamlining specific steps. Asked if it undermines the board's power, he said it 'depend[s] on “how one views it”.' Observers responding to the bureau's package noted that compressing procedures to two months will break traditional development 'shackles.' Keywords mention Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, Our Hong Kong Foundation, and Ryan Ip Man-ki, but no further details are provided in the sources.
