Hong Kong having a Northern Metropolis is long overdue

Hong Kong has lagged behind in regional integration for too long – it’s time to catch up.

My journey with Hong Kong began in the 1970s, working in Sha Tau Kok, experiencing the daily tensions and joys of the border. You can see my younger self in The Hong Kong Beat 2 (Bamboo Curtain Episode, starting at 7:40)

YouTube, https://lnkd.in/g4NqypSa

This was a defining time in Hong Kong’s history yet as the city grew, much land in the Frontier Closed Area was left untouched, leading to an extraordinary contrast in development. I often wonder why a Northern Metropolis wasn’t part of Hong Kong’s growth plan much sooner, as we could have easily grown in lockstep with Shenzhen.

Sure, there’s nostalgia for the peaceful fishponds and countryside of that part of the New Territories, but most of it was just left fallow by those that had bought it up decades ago, who will soon, no doubt, pocket gains from Government resumption of it. Yet we do have an abundance of parks, mountains and coastlines that remain close to home for everyone as we saw in full use during the pandemic. The “land in-between” as the border area was sometimes called was stalled in a time warp.

Chief Executive John Lee’s recent statements on land use give us all hope for a renewed vision. Building a Northern Metropolis makes sense, merging Hong Kong with the Greater Bay region seamlessly, on pre-existing flat land, without needing to pour mountains of soil into our coastlines; is sensible.

I do hope we make the Northern Metropolis more than just mass housing for commuters though. Hopefully it will be a balanced hub of homes, vibrant businesses of all types and more innovative commercial spaces that breathe life into Hong Kong’s economy. With efficient rail links and new stations, of course commuting short distances to the north and south is also going to be the answer for some residents.

It’s time for Hong Kong to embrace yet more sustainable expansion and integration.

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