The Government today gazetted the Northern Metropolis Development Bill to streamline planning and lands procedures, expedite construction works and facilitate industry operations for the Northern Metropolis (NM).
The proposed legislation will be introduced into the Legislative Council for its first and second readings on July 8, with the Government aiming to secure its passage within the year.
The bill outlines six specific policy areas to accelerate development. It empowers the Chief Executive-in-Council to enact subsequent subsidiary legislation, allowing authorities to formulate detailed implementation rules.
According to the Development Bureau, this framework gives the Government the necessary flexibility to adjust operational details swiftly to meet the evolving development demands of the NM.
The bureau noted that the primary bill establishes the legal foundation for various upcoming legislative proposals. These include delineating the official boundaries of the NM, streamlining town planning procedures and expediting land resumption compensation payments.
It also covers measures to foster innovation and quality in construction works, simplify Construction Noise Permit application processes, ease the cross-boundary flow of production factors and establish statutory corporations for designated areas.
The Government has submitted the draft for the first batch of subsidiary legislation together with the bill for the council’s preliminary review.
It emphasised that the draft subsidiary legislation is submitted for council members’ reference only, enabling them to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the details of the measures when scrutinising the bill.
Once the bill passes, the Government will formally submit the first batch of subsidiary legislation to the council.
