The 87-hectare Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) in the Northern Metropolis is expected to permit businesses to move in during the second half of the year, with its first three buildings to be completed in phases.

Anita Chau Yee-ping, director of HSITP’s ecosystem development, said at a forum on Friday that the park will focus on the commercialization of research outcomes, and provide facilities for pilot production and testing.

She added that the park is envisioned as a bridge linking Hong Kong with other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to foster innovation and technology development.

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Vic Yau Cheuk-hang, director of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, said that other construction projects in the Northern Metropolis are also on track, with several key projects slated to come online within the next one to two years.

The Northern Metropolis, a 30,000-hectare development that accounts for about one-third of the city’s total area, is generally advancing in two phases, Yau said.

Four zones, including the San Tin Technopole, slated to be the region’s innovation and technology hub, have entered the construction phase, while planning is underway for four other areas.

In Yuen Long South area, where the focus is on housing and logistics, the second phase of construction will begin within the year, adding about 11,000 public housing units to the area.

The Kwu Tung North/Fanling North zone, which will provide a mix of residential units and government facilities, is expected to deliver about 20,000 new homes in 2026 and 2027.

As part of the transport infrastructure plans, Kwu Tung Station on the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line of the East Rail Line is currently under construction and is slated to open in 2027.

Yau said that strengthening connectivity between the Northern Metropolis, the rest of Hong Kong, and the Chinese mainland is essential for unlocking new development opportunities.

Moreover, providing new land for the development of innovation and technology industry is a key vision of the project. The formation project for the first tranche of technology-focused land at San Tin Technopole will be completed next year, delivering 20 hectares for the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp to develop and operate.

To facilitate Hong Kong firms expanding into the mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the GoGBA Business Support Centre (Futian), jointly established by Hong Kong and Shenzhen, opened in October in Shenzhen’s Futian district, which is near the Northern Metropolis.

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Wei Tingting, a consultant at the center, said it provides a range of services to businesses looking to enter the GBA market, including advisory support, assistance with business setup, and networking opportunities.

Contact the writer at irisli@chinadailyhk.com