Are special laws a quick fix for speeding up Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis?

AdvertisementHong Kong economyHong KongHong Kong EconomyAre special laws a quick fix for speeding up Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis?Syncing megaproject with key infrastructure and turning it into a ‘living laboratory’ are equally important to its success, tech experts say 8-MIN READ8-MIN ListenVivian AuPublished: 8:00am, 16 Apr 2026Updated: 8:05am, 16 Apr 2026Travelling from Hong Kong’s commercial heart to the site of the San Tin Technopole, a planned innovation hub under the Northern Metropolis megaproject, is an exercise in endurance. The roughly two-hour trek from Causeway Bay requires taking trains on two lines, navigating two transit interchanges and catching a ride on a public minibus. Upon arrival, visitors are not greeted by gleaming skyscrapers or shopping centres, but by a quiet patchwork of fish ponds, villages, scattered squatter homes and brownfield sites where direct access to public transport remains a rarity. AdvertisementBut beneath the rural, underdeveloped soil lies the blueprint for Hong Kong’s future. Hailed as a game-changer for Hong Kong’s economy, the ambitious Northern Metropolis, first announced in 2021, aims to transform 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) of land along the border with Shenzhen in mainland China into a dual engine for economic growth and housing.AdvertisementIt includes an innovation and technology (I&T) zone, a commerce and industry zone, a high-end professional services and logistics hub, and an area featuring recreation and conservation elements. With the Northern Metropolis becoming a national priority, authorities are now gathering public support for creating a set of designated laws that will speed up development, effectively giving the megaproject special status. AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x