Northern Metropolis First Parcel Project Awarded, Kicking Off Landmark Development
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago7 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong government has awarded the first parcel development project in the Northern Metropolis to a consortium called Hung Shui Kiu New Development Company Limited, marking a significant milestone in the city's most ambitious development blueprint. The consortium, comprising six mainland and Hong Kong enterprises, secured the development rights for an 11-hectare parcel in Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen with a winning bid of HK$10.3 billion. This first-of-its-kind project will establish a innovation technology-driven modern logistics hub, with total investment reaching approximately HK$16.8 billion. The award ceremony on Monday (August 24) signals the official launch of the Northern Metropolis development, which covers 30,000 hectares—roughly one-third of Hong Kong's total area.
Key Points
- The winning consortium "Hung Shui Kiu New Development Company Limited" comprises six enterprises with equal stakes: China Merchants Land, China Overseas Land & Investment, China Resources Land (Overseas), JD.com, and Sun Hung Kai Properties each holding 17%, while China Travel Service Investment holds 15% .
- The 11-hectare parcel includes 5.5 hectares designated for enterprise and technology industrial use, 2.6 hectares for residential development yielding approximately 3,000 units, and additional facilities including a smart modern logistics center with 51,000 square meters of gross floor area .
- JD.com plans to deploy its proprietary "Wolf" robotics series including "Smart Wolf" goods-to-person systems, automatic sorting walls, "Alien Wolf" robotic arms, and "Lone Wolf" autonomous vehicles to create an AI-powered logistics park .
- The project is expected to generate 6,000 jobs, with JD.com alone creating 2,500 logistics-related positions; land formation for remaining plots must be completed by end of 2028 .
- The Northern Metropolis is officially incorporated into the national "15th Five-Year Plan," elevating Hong Kong's northern development from a local initiative to a state-level strategic endeavor .
Why It Matters
This inaugural parcel development demonstrates a fundamental shift from Hong Kong's traditional "sell land first, develop later" approach to an "industry-first"片区 development model that integrates residential, commercial, and industrial planning holistically. The successful attraction of major tech firms like JD.com to establish logistics operations in Hong Kong signals the Northern Metropolis' potential to diversify the city's economy beyond finance and real estate, positioning it as a strategic gateway connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to global supply chains through the Shenzhen Bay Port .
This inaugural parcel development demonstrates a fundamental shift from Hong Kong's traditional "sell land first, develop later" approach to an "industry-first"片区 development model that integrates residential, commercial, and industrial planning holistically. The successful attraction of major tech firms like JD.com to establish logistics operations in Hong Kong signals the Northern Metropolis' potential to diversify the city's economy beyond finance and real estate, positioning it as a strategic gateway connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to global supply chains through the Shenzhen Bay Port .