Cushman & Wakefield Urges Industrial-Led Approach for Northern Metropolis Development
On.cc · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago3 MIN
Summary
Cushman & Wakefield's Deputy Managing Director and Head of Hong Kong Research Teresa Tang Shuk-yin has called for industrial development to serve as the core driving force behind Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis. Speaking ahead of the project's next phase, Tang emphasised that the success of the Northern Metropolis should not be measured solely by land supply or housing construction figures, warning that the region risks becoming a dormitory town without sufficient quality employment opportunities. The research head pointed to the dramatic surge in planned development targets as evidence that the project has transitioned from its initial planning stage to full-scale implementation, yet stressed that the focus must now shift from merely "supplying land" to actively "creating cities."
Key Points
- The Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan targets a massive escalation in Northern Metropolis development, with residential completions projected to jump from 11,000 units in 2021/22-2025/26 to 70,000 units in 2026/27-2030/31
- Graded land supply is set to increase approximately sevenfold from around 120 hectares to 900 hectares during the same periods, signalling a shift from planning to actual development
- The government must simultaneously advance railway and cross-border infrastructure, industrial parks, commercial facilities, public services, and community amenities to prevent the area from becoming merely a bedroom community
- Key growth engines include the San Tin Technopole, the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, the University Town, and various specialised industrial clusters
- Tang proposed a virtuous development cycle where industry attracts population, residents sustain consumption, and spending fuels urban prosperity—transforming the Northern Metropolis into a modern hub for industry, education, residence, and international exchange
Why It Matters
The Northern Metropolis represents Hong Kong's most ambitious urban development project in decades, and the direction set for its initial phase will shape the territory's economic landscape for generations. Tang's recommendations highlight the critical risk that without proactive industrial recruitment and coordinated infrastructure development, the Northern Metropolis could replicate the jobs-housing imbalance seen in New Territories new towns—large residential developments lacking employment bases that force residents into lengthy commutes. Her focus on achieving genuine jobs-housing balance through strategic industrial clustering offers a framework for sustainable metropolitan growth that could serve as a model for future development elsewhere in Hong Kong .
The Northern Metropolis represents Hong Kong's most ambitious urban development project in decades, and the direction set for its initial phase will shape the territory's economic landscape for generations. Tang's recommendations highlight the critical risk that without proactive industrial recruitment and coordinated infrastructure development, the Northern Metropolis could replicate the jobs-housing imbalance seen in New Territories new towns—large residential developments lacking employment bases that force residents into lengthy commutes. Her focus on achieving genuine jobs-housing balance through strategic industrial clustering offers a framework for sustainable metropolitan growth that could serve as a model for future development elsewhere in Hong Kong .