Hong Kong is entering a defining era. The Northern Metropolis — spanning one‑third of the city’s land area — is no longer just a blueprint. It is becoming the stage on which Hong Kong will reimagine its future: a hub for innovation and technology, a magnet for global talent and a model of coexistence between development and conservation.
Text: Mike Staley Images: CEDD
At the centre of this transformation is Michael Fong, Director of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD). In an exclusive interview, Michael Fong speaks with conviction about the Northern Metropolis as more than a construction project. It is, he insists, a social and ecological experiment designed to position Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre.
“The positioning of the Northern Metropolis is very clear,” Fong explains. “Hong Kong will build our international I&T hub. Everything we build in the Northern Metropolis will support this major goal. And alongside I&T, education is equally crucial — because talent is the foundation.”
Hong Kong’s universities, five of which rank among the world’s top 100, provide the academic strength to support this ambition. The Northern Metropolis will expand this advantage through University Towns, dedicated clusters for health sciences, digital technologies and emerging industries.
“We are building university towns that focus on areas like health science and digital technologies,” he says. “This will not only support Hong Kong as an international I&T centre, but also attract talents from around the world.”
The vision is deliberately inclusive. Fong emphasizes that the Northern Metropolis is being planned as a community for all ages, from young families to the elderly — an “all‑inclusive society” where education, healthcare, housing and employment are seamlessly integrated.
Nature‑Based Solutions
If the Northern Metropolis is Hong Kong’s boldest urban experiment, then the Hong Kong Nature‑based Solutions Design Guidelines (HKNbSDG) are its rulebook. Jointly prepared by CEDD and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and endorsed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Guidelines translate global NbS principles into Hong Kong’s dense metropolitan context.
“We are emphasizing the coexistence of development and conservation,” Fong says. “That’s why we spent so much effort producing the Guidelines. They ensure that every department, consultant and developer applies the same standards.”
Charles Karangwa, IUCN’s Global Head of NbS, praised the initiative as “forward‑looking leadership in operationalising nature as essential infrastructure.” Fong is proud of that recognition:
“This design guideline is the first of its kind in the world. We are setting a global standard.”
The Guidelines rest on three principles: promoting ecosystem diversity, embracing human‑nature coexistence and improving resilience. Case studies such as Long Valley Nature Park and the Tung Chung East ecoshoreline demonstrate how NbS can deliver biodiversity gains, flood protection and community spaces simultaneously.
For Fong, NbS are not embellishments but essential safeguards in a city prone to typhoons, flooding and heat stress. Sponge‑city drainage, eco‑river channels and urban mini‑forests are practical defences — and they also open the door to green finance, giving banks benchmarks to measure biodiversity and resilience as assets.
Land, Wetlands & Ecotourism
The Northern Metropolis is not simply about new towns and transport links. It is also about wetlands and the delicate balance between ecology and development.
“When we plan the Northern Metropolis, we always bear in mind that development and conservation must coexist,” Fong explains.
This philosophy is embodied in the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park, a 348‑hectare project integrating biodiversity, aquaculture and eco‑education. Ecologically enhanced fishponds will conserve bird habitats while supporting modernised aquaculture. Ecotourism, Fong stresses, must be carefully managed to avoid harming sensitive areas.
The San Tin Technopole illustrates the challenge of coexistence. As a hub for innovation and technology, it will contribute an estimated HK$250 billion annually to GDP and create over 300,000 jobs. Yet its footprint overlaps with traditional fishponds and wetlands. The solution, Fong insists, is mitigation through enhancement — filling some ponds while upgrading others and embedding blue‑green networks as ecological corridors.
Infrastructure & Connectivity
No metropolis can thrive without the arteries that connect it. For Fong, transport and infrastructure are lifelines of integration — both within Hong Kong and across the boundary with Shenzhen.
“We are facilitating a better cross‑boundary flow of people, capital, materials and data,” he explains.
The vision includes new railways and highways linking nine New Development Areas, while connecting seamlessly to Shenzhen. Legislation will streamline planning procedures, shorten rezoning approvals and facilitate flows through mechanisms like “white lists” for personnel.
For residents, the impact will be tangible: new transport hubs, pedestrian and cycle networks and smart green mobility facilities. Fong stresses that connectivity is not just about speed but inclusivity — weaving new infrastructure into existing communities in Fanling, Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai.
Urban‑Rural Integration
The Northern Metropolis is also about ensuring villages and rural communities benefit directly from transformation.
“We must make sure those living in existing villages will be able to benefit economically and socially,” Fong says.
The Government has launched the Northern Metropolis Urban‑Rural Integration Fund, a HK$200 million pilot scheme to revitalise heritage buildings, create cultural walking trails and promote eco‑tourism ventures. Examples include cultural trails in San Tin Technopole and the revitalisation of the Lung Yeuk Tau Vegetable Collection Centre in Fanling.
Integration, Fong emphasizes, is about respect as much as development:
“We are building new towns, but at the same time we must integrate seamlessly with existing rural areas. This is about urban‑rural coexistence, not replacement.”
Green Finance & Global Standards
The rise of green finance is reshaping how projects are funded, with the NbS Guidelines becoming a benchmark for credibility.
“Banks are very keen to finance projects they claim to be green,” Fong explains. “But they do not know how green it is — what is the benchmark? That’s why the guidelines are so important.”
By aligning loans with compliance to the NbS framework, biodiversity and resilience become measurable assets. Developers who can demonstrate adherence are more likely to secure favourable financing terms. Active discussion is underway to develop a certification scheme, ensuring credibility and transparency.
For Fong, sustainability is not a cost but an investment:
“We are setting a global standard. This is the first of its kind in the world and it will help Hong Kong lead not only in infrastructure but in green finance.”
Towards Tomorrow
As Hong Kong embarks on the decades‑long journey of building the Northern Metropolis, Fong is clear that this is more than an infrastructure project. It is a redefinition of how the city lives with nature, attracts talent and integrates with the Greater Bay Area.
“We build to make Hong Kong a world‑class sustainable and resilient city for living, working and playing,” he says.
From sponge‑city drainage systems to eco‑tourism wetlands, from university towns to green finance benchmarks, the project is designed to deliver resilience and prosperity for generations. Development and conservation, Fong insists, are not opposing forces but complementary pillars.
The Northern Metropolis is therefore not just a new district. It is a statement of intent: that Hong Kong can lead in innovation, resilience and ecological stewardship, while remaining true to its heritage and community roots.