Chief Executive John Lee eyes faster timeline for Northern Metropolis development
發佈日期: 2025-09-21 20:18
TVB News
Chief Executive John Lee believes that the Northern Metropolis could be completed earlier than the original estimate of 20 years.
While concerns have emerged over whether proposals to establish a company to manage the industrial park there could prolong the government's fiscal deficit, the city leader says the matter will be left for the financial secretary to study.
Chief Executive John Lee's latest policy address has outlined various ways to attract developers to chip in in a bid to turbocharge the development of the Northern Metropolis.
Speaking with TVB News, Lee says the Northern Metropolis accounts for one-third of Hong Kong's total land area and is facing a bottleneck in both capital and talent.
One possible solution is to set up and inject funds into multiple companies to manage its industrial park.
The city leader pointed to past examples such as investment in the Science Park and the Airport Authority which often involved sums in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
But will that exacerbate the government's fiscal deficit over the short term?
John Lee says whether that will happen is for the financial secretary to consider.
He notes that without the investment, the city would not have achieved today's level of innotech development.
Another tool under consideration is a "progressive land premium scheme" which allows developers to pay land premiums in phases rather than paying the highest rate upfront.
But will that turn the Northern Metropolis into just another real estate venture?
Pushing back, Lee says the final say rests with the administration as they set a much stricter threshold for residential development.
Launched in 2021, the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy was initially expected to take 20 years to complete.
Lee says the previous legislative amendments have halved the time needed to convert raw land into ready-to-build plots.
But given the scale of the project, no estimate will be completely accurate at this stage, he says.
Still, he expresses confidence in fast-tracking the works, given how efforts are devoted concurrently on many fronts.
Weighing in on the city's labour situation, the chief executive says there is currently no law to fine employers who abuse the labour import scheme.
While one option could be asking employers to pay a deposit which would be forfeited if abuse occurs, Lee warns that could "punish the innocent" and add pressure on small businesses already struggling.
When asked if there could be a suspension mechanism to stop the import scheme if local unemployment rises, Lee says the government will closely monitor the situation.
On the introduction of the Heads of Department Accountability System, Lee says it's meant to boost public confidence, adding that "there's no best solution -- but only better."
