In the 2021 Policy Address, the Hong Kong Government announced the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy that will provide Hong Kong with a new economic engine, meet the housing shortage, and provide closer integration with Shenzhen, the Greater Bay Area (GBA), and the Mainland over the next 15 years. Hong Kong’s recent social unrest and global COVID-19 pandemic have revealed deep fragilities in the city’s economic model.
While the Government’s infrastructure development plans for the region have the potential to address and alleviate some of the quality-of-life challenges within dense urban districts, there is great opportunity to formulate innovative policies to realise a vision for a liveable and resilient city in the Northern Metropolis (NM). Through cross-sector stakeholder and community engagement led by the future leaders of the city, participants on the Hong Kong Young Leaders Programme developed a set of policy recommendations that offers innovative ideas to support the development of the NM.
They focused on creating equitable economic growth, improving quality of life, and ensuring societal resilience in the region via four key pillars:
- Creating a Model for Inclusive Housing
Launch a Development for Affordable & Suitable Housing (DASH) Scheme to promote home ownership by increasing the proportion of public to private housing, introducing new types of public housing to support the ‘sandwich class,’ and expanding access for young adults to participate in housing schemes. - Developing a Low Carbon Zone
Establish a circular economy in the GBA through used material collection at EPD Green@Community centres, a material exchange platform leveraging the GBA’s manufacturing capabilities, and a consumption subsidy for businesses that adopt recycled materials. - Building a Robust I&T Ecosystem
Position the Northern Metropolis as home to a new Technology Transfer Nexus under ITIB’s oversight, enabling stronger collaboration between industry and local universities to commercialise research. - Cultivating Ecocultural Tourism
Set up a Northern Metropolis Project Management Team to drive eco-cultural tourism, mobilise resources quickly, attract international and local visitors, promote responsible tourism, and co-manage shared ecological and cultural assets.