ConstructioNews
Vol 34 No 6 (07-2025)
Development Proposals of New Territories North New Town and Ma Tso Lung
The Northern Metropolis (NM) Action Agenda promulgated in October 2023 outlines the development positioning of four major zones in NM. The New Territories North New Town (NTN New Town) and Ma Tso Lung (MTL) fall within the Boundary Commerce and Industry Zone and are the last two new development projects in NM
to have their preliminary development proposals announced.
With a project area of about 1,420 hectares, the NTN New Town covers the Heung Yuen Wai, Ta Kwu Ling, Ping Che, Hung Lung Hang, Queen’s Hill, Man Kam To and Lo Wu South areas. To support the development of NTN New Town, the HK Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint released in end 2023 has recommended two railways and one major road projects, proposed to be completed in and after 2039, to enhance the connectivity across the NDAs in NM and various BCPs. The two railways are the east-west running Northern Link Eastern Extension (NOLE) and the north-south running Northeast New Territories Line (NENTL). One road refers to NM Highway (NTN New Town Section) which will be an east-west corridor connecting NTN New Town and other NDAs in NM.
MTL, covering a project area of about 55 hectares, is situated at the north of KTN NDA. About 49 hectares of the area is part of the previously planned KTN NDA. Considering that the future road5 linking up Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) at the Loop and KTN will be passing through MTL, and the NM Highway (Kwu Tung Section), which would be completed in and after 2039, under study is also proposed to be routing through MTL.
The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Planning Department (PlanD) jointly commissioned the planning and engineering studies for NTN New Town and MTL in October 2021 and October 2022 respectively in order to formulate the recommended land use proposals for these two NDAs.
New Territories North New Town
The planning of NTN New Town has the following project highlights:
1) Gateway Economy
The areas in the vicinity of the boundary control points (BCP) used to be closed areas, serving mainly security and cross-boundary transport functions. The integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen with increasing cross-boundary passenger flow would offer huge opportunities for the development of the boundary areas, while the proposed NOLE and NENTL can strengthen the connections among varous land-based BCPs and drive the development of the areas. The areas around Heung Yuen Wai and Man Kam To BCPs (around 225 hectares) are proposed to be developed into boundary mixed use areas.
2) Emerging Industries
Tapping the extensive space available in NTN New Town, the proximity to BCPs and the “East in East out” arrangement for crossboundary freight traffic, about 210 hectares of land has been reserved in this NDA for different types of industries.
3) Cultural, Education and Sports Hub
The central part of NTN New Town will become a hub with the agglomeration of post-secondary education, cultural and sports facilities. About 40 hectares of land has been reserved for post-secondary education use as an important part of the University Town. Besides, about 50 hectares of land is set aside to create a Cultural Node and Sports Hub. Land has been reserved in the Cultural Node for the second campus of HK Academy for Performing Arts, a museum cluster and a performance venue. The Sports Hub will accommodate various facilities and venues where international and local sports competitions and events could be hosted.
4) Green．River．Valley
With a length of around 8 kilometres, a green spine composed of Dongjiang Water Greenway and Central River Valley is proposed to connect the eastern and western parts of the NDA, which will be a unique blue-green landscape, championing nature-based solutions and enhancing biodiversity, through such measures as maximising greenery, creating habitats, developing a nature garden and revitalising rivers. Also, flood retention facilities will be incorporated and river improvement works would be carried out to raise the flood prevention capacity of new developments and villages, and strengthen resilience to climate change. It will also serve as a culture-nature-recreation connector linking up the rural villages, new communities, historic buildings, cultural and sports facilities as well as open space in the NDA. The pedestrian/cycling
networks extending from this green spine would further link up the surrounding trails and countryside, promoting healthy living and green tourism.
Priority Development Area
NTN New Town is the largest NDA in NM. Its development area (about 1,175 hectares) is much larger than that of other NDAs, accounting for over one-third of some 3,000 hectares of new land supply of the entire NM. It would take about 20 years or longer to implement the project by phases.
The Government proposes to first proceed with the 206 hectares Priority Development Area with consideration that public housing is not the primary implementation priority for the NTN New Town. The Government proposes to prioritise the development of the Heung Yuen Wai area, including the Boundary Mixed Use Area, Enterprise Park and University Town.
The remaining development land of about 960 hectares in the NDA could be considered for phased development in the medium to long term, based on the following packaing while the order of implementation would be reviewed based on the actual circumstances: (a) areas near Hung Lung Hang and Man Kam To BCP: providing land mainly for construction of public facilities, and development of gateway economic uses, advanced construction and green industries; (b) Ping Che, Ta Kwu Ling, and Queen's Hill areas: providing land mainly for residential development and provision of cultural and sports facilities; and (c) Lo Wu South area: providing land mainly for residential development.
Ma Tso Lung
As an extension of KTN NDA and a node linking KTN and the Loop, MTL is mainly planned for private housing with open spaces and ancillary facilities providing support to the housing and daily needs of I&T talents of the Loop and KTN NDA. The Government also recommend to retain the existing MTL Stream with planned open spaces on its both sides, forming a south-north green and natural corridor that links the open space network in KTN to Hoo Hok Wai Wetland at the north.
The Recommended Outline Development Plans
The Government will launch a two-month public exercise in mid-January 2025. Taking into account the public views received, the Government would refine the relevant land use proposals and formulate the Recommended Outline Development Plans for NTN New Town and MTL with relevant technical assessments/engineering design.
According to the current programme, the food control facilities within the PDA of NTN New Town could be implemented earlier so as to transform Man Kam To BCP into a passenger only BCP by relocating its food control function to Heung Yuen Wai BCP as early as possible. Government-initiated works for the remaining parts of the PDA may
commence as early as 2028/29. For MTL, part of the development area falls within the Remaining Phase Development of KTN NDA, where site formation and infrastructure works could commence in 2027 the earliest.
Source of Information and Picture: Paper of Legislative Council Panel on Development
to have their preliminary development proposals announced.
With a project area of about 1,420 hectares, the NTN New Town covers the Heung Yuen Wai, Ta Kwu Ling, Ping Che, Hung Lung Hang, Queen’s Hill, Man Kam To and Lo Wu South areas. To support the development of NTN New Town, the HK Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint released in end 2023 has recommended two railways and one major road projects, proposed to be completed in and after 2039, to enhance the connectivity across the NDAs in NM and various BCPs. The two railways are the east-west running Northern Link Eastern Extension (NOLE) and the north-south running Northeast New Territories Line (NENTL). One road refers to NM Highway (NTN New Town Section) which will be an east-west corridor connecting NTN New Town and other NDAs in NM.
MTL, covering a project area of about 55 hectares, is situated at the north of KTN NDA. About 49 hectares of the area is part of the previously planned KTN NDA. Considering that the future road5 linking up Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) at the Loop and KTN will be passing through MTL, and the NM Highway (Kwu Tung Section), which would be completed in and after 2039, under study is also proposed to be routing through MTL.
The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Planning Department (PlanD) jointly commissioned the planning and engineering studies for NTN New Town and MTL in October 2021 and October 2022 respectively in order to formulate the recommended land use proposals for these two NDAs.
New Territories North New Town
The planning of NTN New Town has the following project highlights:
1) Gateway Economy
The areas in the vicinity of the boundary control points (BCP) used to be closed areas, serving mainly security and cross-boundary transport functions. The integration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen with increasing cross-boundary passenger flow would offer huge opportunities for the development of the boundary areas, while the proposed NOLE and NENTL can strengthen the connections among varous land-based BCPs and drive the development of the areas. The areas around Heung Yuen Wai and Man Kam To BCPs (around 225 hectares) are proposed to be developed into boundary mixed use areas.
2) Emerging Industries
Tapping the extensive space available in NTN New Town, the proximity to BCPs and the “East in East out” arrangement for crossboundary freight traffic, about 210 hectares of land has been reserved in this NDA for different types of industries.
3) Cultural, Education and Sports Hub
The central part of NTN New Town will become a hub with the agglomeration of post-secondary education, cultural and sports facilities. About 40 hectares of land has been reserved for post-secondary education use as an important part of the University Town. Besides, about 50 hectares of land is set aside to create a Cultural Node and Sports Hub. Land has been reserved in the Cultural Node for the second campus of HK Academy for Performing Arts, a museum cluster and a performance venue. The Sports Hub will accommodate various facilities and venues where international and local sports competitions and events could be hosted.
4) Green．River．Valley
With a length of around 8 kilometres, a green spine composed of Dongjiang Water Greenway and Central River Valley is proposed to connect the eastern and western parts of the NDA, which will be a unique blue-green landscape, championing nature-based solutions and enhancing biodiversity, through such measures as maximising greenery, creating habitats, developing a nature garden and revitalising rivers. Also, flood retention facilities will be incorporated and river improvement works would be carried out to raise the flood prevention capacity of new developments and villages, and strengthen resilience to climate change. It will also serve as a culture-nature-recreation connector linking up the rural villages, new communities, historic buildings, cultural and sports facilities as well as open space in the NDA. The pedestrian/cycling
networks extending from this green spine would further link up the surrounding trails and countryside, promoting healthy living and green tourism.
Priority Development Area
NTN New Town is the largest NDA in NM. Its development area (about 1,175 hectares) is much larger than that of other NDAs, accounting for over one-third of some 3,000 hectares of new land supply of the entire NM. It would take about 20 years or longer to implement the project by phases.
The Government proposes to first proceed with the 206 hectares Priority Development Area with consideration that public housing is not the primary implementation priority for the NTN New Town. The Government proposes to prioritise the development of the Heung Yuen Wai area, including the Boundary Mixed Use Area, Enterprise Park and University Town.
The remaining development land of about 960 hectares in the NDA could be considered for phased development in the medium to long term, based on the following packaing while the order of implementation would be reviewed based on the actual circumstances: (a) areas near Hung Lung Hang and Man Kam To BCP: providing land mainly for construction of public facilities, and development of gateway economic uses, advanced construction and green industries; (b) Ping Che, Ta Kwu Ling, and Queen's Hill areas: providing land mainly for residential development and provision of cultural and sports facilities; and (c) Lo Wu South area: providing land mainly for residential development.
Ma Tso Lung
As an extension of KTN NDA and a node linking KTN and the Loop, MTL is mainly planned for private housing with open spaces and ancillary facilities providing support to the housing and daily needs of I&T talents of the Loop and KTN NDA. The Government also recommend to retain the existing MTL Stream with planned open spaces on its both sides, forming a south-north green and natural corridor that links the open space network in KTN to Hoo Hok Wai Wetland at the north.
The Recommended Outline Development Plans
The Government will launch a two-month public exercise in mid-January 2025. Taking into account the public views received, the Government would refine the relevant land use proposals and formulate the Recommended Outline Development Plans for NTN New Town and MTL with relevant technical assessments/engineering design.
According to the current programme, the food control facilities within the PDA of NTN New Town could be implemented earlier so as to transform Man Kam To BCP into a passenger only BCP by relocating its food control function to Heung Yuen Wai BCP as early as possible. Government-initiated works for the remaining parts of the PDA may
commence as early as 2028/29. For MTL, part of the development area falls within the Remaining Phase Development of KTN NDA, where site formation and infrastructure works could commence in 2027 the earliest.
Source of Information and Picture: Paper of Legislative Council Panel on Development