Northern Metropolis boundary changes will need Legco approval, minister says

Hong Kong’s legislature will retain the power to scrutinise boundary changes for the Northern Metropolis megaproject proposed by the executive branch, the city’s development chief has said, addressing concerns over proposed laws to fast-track the scheme.Under proposed legislation comprising six main subsidiary laws designed to remove bottlenecks in the massive scheme near the border with Mainland China, the city’s leader and the Executive Council will be empowered to adjust its boundaries, including expanding or cutting its area.The proposal has raised concerns that boundaries could be changed too easily and without proper oversight.“The proposed legislation will state that the chief executive and the Executive Council need to seek approval from the Legislative Council when they want to adjust the boundaries,” Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho told lawmakers on Tuesday, addressing the concerns.She told the Legislative Council development panel meeting that she “could not see a need to adjust the boundaries of the Northern Metropolis at this stage”.The project’s boundaries on a map would be clearly delineated and shown in the future, she added.