Development of the 300 km2 Northern Metropolis
What
Covering an area of 300 square kilometers, the Northern Metropolis (visioned to be international I&T hub) will cover from the west to the east of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Boundary Control Points Economic Belt, as well as the deeper hinterlands.
Upon full development, the Northern Metropolis will accommodate around 2.5 million people, provide 500,000 new residential units (bringing the total close to 930,000 units), and create about 650,000 jobs, including 150,000 I&T positions.
The development is ongoing with focused efforts dedicated to ensuring steady progress. Approximately 40% of the overall development is projected to be completed by 2031. The first batch of private housing intake began in 2022, while public housing intake is expected to commence progressively from 2026 onwards, with around 70,000 units anticipated to be ready by 2030.
How
To highlight the importance of the development and to accelerate progress, streamline approvals and introduce dedicated legislation for efficiency, a committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis, chaired by the Chief Executive, was established in 2025 to accelerate progress, streamline approvals, and introduce dedicated legislation for efficiency. Private developers and public-private partnerships will play a significant role in financing and operations.
The known governmental budget for the Northern Metropolis development amounts to HKD 224 billion (≈ SEK 265 billion), covering the core set of planning, engineering, and foundational infrastructure works identified by the Government. However, external assessments indicate that the overall investment required to deliver the full project over its multi‑decade timeline is substantially higher, with total development costs projected to reach HKD 3,000 billion. These broader estimates take into account the full build‑out of residential areas, commercial districts, transportation networks, public facilities, and long‑term enabling works across the entire Northern Metropolis footprint, reflecting both public‑sector commitments and substantial anticipated private‑sector participation.
CONTACT US
For more information contact Johan Thurée at johan.thuree@business-sweden.se.