Land and Development Advisory Committee convenes
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At its conference today (October 16), the Land and Development Advisory Committee was informed by the Development Bureau (DEVB) on significant efforts connected to the Bureau in the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address (Policy Address), in addition to the advancement proposition for Lung Kwu Tan Reclamation (LKT) and the re-planning of Tuen Mun West location (TMW).
Members supported the Government’s dedication to sustaining its land production efforts in a paced way to offer a consistent land supply to satisfy the financial and society requirements of Hong Kong, and the proposed ingenious efforts which reacted to the marketplace condition along with the views and requirements of the market and expert bodies. These essential procedures consisted of:
(a) Sustaining Land Creation in a Paced Manner: the forecasted conclusion of developable land over the next years would reach roughly 2 600 hectares, with around 70 percent originating from the Northern Metropolis (NM). It is approximated that the target of providing roughly 150 hectares of developable land within the existing would be obtained. The Government would likewise continue to advance numerous land development jobs, consisting of LKT, Tseung Kwan O Area 137 and Area 132, in addition to the growth of Tung Chung New Town.
(b) Expediting the NM advancement: facility of a brand-new top-level governance structure, particularly the Northern Metropolis Development Committee chaired by the Chief Executive, underpinned by 3 working groups on style of advancement and operation designs, preparation and building and construction of the UniTown, and preparation and advancement respectively. Other crucial efforts to accelerate advancement of NM consist of a devoted legislation to simplify statutory treatments, established statutory market park and devoted financing channels, and accelerate approvals and land resumption and settlement. The Government will likewise enhance administrative treatments and eliminate barriers, in addition to promote financial investment and public-private collaborations, through phased advancement method, versatile plans for premium estimation and giving of occupancies, and so on. A few of these steps will likewise apply to the entire area.
(c) Supporting Industry Development: The Government will execute a variety of efforts to promote market advancement, consisting of the “Hostels in the City Scheme” to motivate the marketplace to increase supply of trainee hostels to combine Hong Kong’s status as a global post-secondary education center; taking forward jobs for luxury yacht berthing area to support the advancement of private yacht economy; improving visitor experience of rural eco-tour; and collaborating works connected to enhancing the streetscape of Lan Kwan Fong and streets close by, which would be carried out by stages.
(d) Urban Renewal and Releasing commercial Land in Urban Areas: to speed up metropolitan renewal to resolve the issue of aging structures, the Government has actually proposed 3 procedures with a brand-new mind-set, particularly booking 3 websites in NM brand-new advancement locations for the Urban Renewal Authority to construct brand-new flats under the revamped Flat-for-Flat Scheme; unwinding plans for transfer of plot ratio by permitting cross-district transfer of under-utilised plot ratio to NM or other districts; and presenting extra plot ratio rewards for personal redevelopment tasks in the 7 designated locations and enabling encashment of such extra plot ratio to balance out the premium payable for tasks in NM or other districts. The Government will start a brand-new round of research study on commercial land to check out the future of the revitalisation plan for commercial structures.
(e) Reducing Construction Cost: to lower building and construction expenses and improve effectiveness, the Government will simplify approval treatments for massive advancement works and develop devoted systems within the DEVB to accelerate the processing of public works tasks; unwind the gross flooring location exemption plan for carparks in personal advancements; and present numerous expense control procedures, consisting of introducing the “Project Cost Management Platform”evaluating building and construction requirements and requirement, performing main procurement on a trial basis, and so on.
Members praised the steps speeding up the advancement of NM, in specific the facility of a top-level committee chaired by the Chief Executive and the 3 working groups, along with the intro of a devoted legislation. Members recommended making sure adequate previous assessment with the markets, expert bodies and other stakeholders, and suggested that the software application elements of NM such as improving the liveability of the district, arrangement of adequate neighborhood and cultural centers, and effective transportation connection and adequate range of job opportunity, were similarly crucial. Members likewise supported the Government’s efforts to motivate arrangement of more trainee hostels in the market, and recommended closer cooperation with the universities and designers to resolve their requirements. While revealing assistance for the procedures to enhance approval and motivate more market involvement, such as “pay for what you build” and more versatile land grant plans, Members recommended the Government even more engage the market and stakeholders to make sure that the application information were practicable and would satisfy the requirements of designers and users.
Members supported the proposed steps to accelerate the speed of metropolitan renewal, due to the quickly aging structure stock, and recommended the Government think about ingenious designs to help with more economic sector involvement. Members likewise identified the Government’s effort to carry out beautification works for Lan Kwai Fong, and recommended broadening the scope to the surrounding streets, welcoming more involvement and cooperation with the store owners/operators in the district and the expert sectors, enhancing pedestrian connection and integrating elderly-friendly styles.
The Government would continue to obtain the views and feedback of stakeholders, consisting of market and expert bodies, with a view to presenting the proposed procedures in batches beginning with early 2026.
Members were likewise informed on the Government’s advancement proposition for LKT and TMW, and normally supported the industry-led positioning for establishing the location into a “Smart and Green Industrial Port” for 4 core markets, specifically green/new energy, advanced building, circular economy and contemporary logistics/River Trade Terminal, with a view to making complete usage of the tactical place, comprehensive sea frontage, and hassle-free transportation network of LKT and TMW to promote the development of these markets and advance their green and wise advancement. The proposition would have the ability to supply approximately 301 hectares of brand-new developable land (consisting of around 190 hectares of colony to be developed through near-shore recovery and around 111 hectares of existing land through re-planning). In addition, Members valued that the proposed advancement would boost the general environment and facilities of LKT and TMW, which would maintain natural coastlines and assist promote city rural combination. The initial advancement proposition likewise consists of improvement to the regional roadway transportation connections to satisfy the additional transportation need developing from the advancement of these markets.
Members recommended that the Government think about embracing a phased technique in performing improvement and presenting various land parcels, dovetailing with the requirements and policy top priorities of different markets. Websites not including improvement might be formed initially to enable the market’s early utilisation of the brand-new land to take benefit of advancement chances in a prompt way. Members likewise believed that the Government needs to evaluate the general preparation and in-depth land usage of particular land parcels considering the views collected from the general public and appropriate stakeholders. Members advised the Government to advance other roadway facilities tasks under preparing such as Nim Wan Road and Deep Bay Road which would even more enhance connection of the proposed advancement.
The Government will continue to engage stakeholders and take into consideration the views revealed by Members and the feedback gotten from the general public engagement workout performed earlier when settling the land usage proposition, with a target to start rezoning and other statutory treatments within 2026.