Hong Kong homes flattened for US$28 billion high-tech hub
Hong Kong is proceeding with the 'Northern Metropolis' project, a massive development plan aimed at integrating the city with mainland China. The project requires the demolition of villages and natural habitats, sparking concerns from residents and environmental groups.
Why it matters
It illustrates the tension between urban economic expansion and the preservation of local communities and ecosystems.
An area roughly a third of Hong Kong including villages, natural wetlands and farmland is being converted into the "Northern Metropolis", an ambitious project aimed at deepening integration with mainland China.
New residential developments under construction stand behind cleared land and village houses in Kwu Tung as part of Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis development plan, in Hong Kong, on Jun 17, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Leung Man Hei)
HONG KONG: Chan Yuk-tong hoped to spend his remaining years in the row of small, blue-brick houses where he was born and raised, but the 71-year-old's Hong Kong village home will soon be bulldozed to make way for a vast tech hub .
An area roughly a third of Hong Kong including villages, natural wetlands and farmland is being converted into the "Northern Metropolis", an ambitious project aimed at deepening integration with mainland China, diversifying the economy and providing new homes.
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