During a Legco meeting, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn stressed that while the administration’s earlier work had ensured there would be sufficient land for future development, more in-depth planning was needed to enhance the mega project.
“The Northern Metropolis has now moved to another stage. We need to bolt down to the specifics and focus on detailed design and implementation,” she said.
“At this stage we must not just ensure the quantity of housing production and floor area. We should also focus on the design of community facilities, the timing, as well as their quality. We need to take a micro-perspective in taking forward these tasks.”
The debate also centred on whether room exists for further increases in the minimum size requirement for private and public housing units.
Linn said officials need to take into account a number of factors for consideration.
“We need to consider the cost and return for developers. We also need to consider that society has diverse needs, people from all walks of life have different requirements of flat size, as well as the affordability of potential buyers,” she said.
The development chief added there might be a knock-on effect on the property market whenever the administration lays down new or higher hard indicators, noting such an impact must be gauged carefully.
