Travelling from Hong Kong’s commercial heart to the site of the San Tin Technopole, a planned innovation hub under the Northern Metropolis megaproject, is an exercise in endurance.

The roughly two-hour trek from Causeway Bay requires taking trains on two lines, navigating two transit interchanges and catching a ride on a public minibus.

Upon arrival, visitors are not greeted by gleaming skyscrapers or shopping centres, but by a quiet patchwork of fish ponds, villages, scattered squatter homes and brownfield sites where direct access to public transport remains a rarity.

But beneath the rural, underdeveloped soil lies the blueprint for Hong Kong’s future.

Hailed as a game-changer for Hong Kong’s economy, the ambitious Northern Metropolis, first announced in 2021, aims to transform 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) of land along the border with Shenzhen in mainland China into a dual engine for economic growth and housing.

It includes an innovation and technology (I&T) zone, a commerce and industry zone, a high-end professional services and logistics hub, and an area featuring recreation and conservation elements.

With the Northern Metropolis becoming a national priority, authorities are now gathering public support for creating a set of designated laws that will speed up development, effectively giving the megaproject special status.

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs also urged businesspeople to serve as the “main force” driving the city’s economic development by investing in innovation and the megaproject.

But experts and industry leaders have questioned whether such a move will offer a quick remedy to challenges stalling development, arguing that syncing the megaproject with key infrastructure and turning it into a “living laboratory” are both equally important to its success.

Last September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu revealed plans in his policy address to draft special laws applicable only to the Northern Metropolis that will allow developers to skip some statutory approval procedures for major developments.

Authorities shared more details about the plan last month, with the rare move following the approval of the 15th national five-year plan in March.

The blueprint emphasises Hong Kong’s role as an international financial hub and highlights the city’s duty to strengthen offshore renminbi business, bolster supply chain services and fast-track the megaproject.

The proposed legal framework, which is currently undergoing a public consultation until May, comprises six main subsidiary laws designed to remove developmental bottlenecks.

According to a paper submitted to the Legislative Council, these cover establishing statutory firms, speeding up land resumption payments, adopting new building technologies, simplifying noise permission procedures, easing the cross-border flow of people and extending the validity period for temporary land use.

One notable proposal will remove the procedure for changing land use in non-conservation areas of the Northern Metropolis, reducing the board’s number of reviews from two to one.

Currently, developers must submit an application to the Town Planning Board, attend meetings and undergo consultations to change the land use specified in an outline zoning plan.

The process usually takes about nine months.

By reducing board reviews from two to one, the approval process will be cut to about two months.

But it cannot be applied to green belt sites, country parks and areas of high ecological value.

Authorities expect the legislation to be passed and implemented this year.

Mind the gap Despite the project being given “superpower” status, town planning experts warned that unlocking that economic engine required overcoming some fundamental hurdles, starting with infrastructure.

The government has earmarked 627 hectares for the San Tin Technopole, a key pillar of this massive undertaking.

Of these, 87 hectares in the Lok Ma Chau Loop and 210 hectares in San Tin are designated for strategic I&T industries, such as life and health technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, microelectronics and green tech.

While the MTR Corporation and the government earlier signed an agreement to design and build the Northern Link, fast-tracking completion of the area’s main rail artery to 2034, a major transport gap remains for the next eight years.

Veteran town planner Thomas Lee Kin-wah said the designated laws could enable authorities to process a high volume of development applications quickly, but the lack of a major rail link and adequate dining and lifestyle amenities “in the middle of nowhere” could be a major deterrent for investors.

The South China Morning Post recently visited Chau Tau, where the first parcel of land is to be developed in the technopole.

The reporter’s journey from Causeway Bay took about two hours and involved travelling on two railway lines, passing 14 stations, followed by a taxi ride.

Transport between villages in the Northern Metropolis relies heavily on minibuses, which are often packed.

The land in Chau Tau, which has an area of more than two hectares, is expected to be handed over for development this financial year.

Asked whether the wait for the rail link in the hub might deter investors, Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kevin Choi Kit-ming said in an interview with the SCMP that authorities would provide alternative transport options.

Kathy Lee, head of research and retail consultancy at Colliers, noted that several companies, including tech firms, had expressed concerns about transport gaps.

Lee, a veteran town planner, said accessibility remained a primary hurdle for investors as staff would need reliable transport for commuting to these sites well before the major railway infrastructure was completed.

To bridge the gap in the initially developed areas, Lee urged the government to provide shuttle buses and increase the frequency of current bus services until the railway network was fully operational.

‘Living laboratory’ To the tech industry – the future operators in the megaproject – the physical and operational environments are critical.

Jojo Xu Huafeng, CEO and founder of city-based smart robot start-up Libpet Tech, argued that building a robust AI ecosystem was far more critical than legal streamlining when it came to attracting firms.

He said there was an urgent need for AI-integrated environments to let tech companies simulate their products in live,....