Hong Kong government outlines job-housing balance plans for Northern Metropolis
The Hong Kong government detailed its planning for job-housing balance in the Northern Metropolis, which aims to create over 500,000 new jobs and 500,000 new homes. It outlined flexible industry targets, transport links, childcare and elderly care facilities, and rejected a special housing transfer
The Hong Kong government has outlined its strategy for achieving a job-housing balance in the Northern Metropolis (NDU), a major development project expected to provide more than 500,000 new jobs and 500,000 new housing units. In a legislative council reply on 4 November 2026, the government detailed its approach to ensuring residents can work near their homes, reducing long commutes.
On specific planning targets, the government said job and housing estimates for each new development area are dynamic and not fixed, to allow flexibility. It cited the San Tin Technopole as an example, where housing for innovation and technology workers will include private homes and talent apartments. The government said it uses a "15-minute neighbourhood" concept to mix retail, dining, community facilities and jobs within each district, and will use rural and ecological resources to create cultural tourism and rural economy jobs.
Regarding the distribution of the 500,000 new jobs by industry, the government said it has not made detailed projections, as implementation depends on market demand and investment. Jobs will cover innovation and technology, higher education, advanced manufacturing, modern logistics, high-end professional services, retail, healthcare, social welfare and other community services. The Labour Department will offer online job matching and training through the Employees' Training Authority and Vocational Training Council.
On support services, the government said it has reserved sites for childcare centres, including 18 new subsidised independent centres announced in the 2025 and 2026 policy addresses. For elderly care, it has reserved land for four new residential care homes and five day-care centres, providing about 610 subsidised long-term care places, plus four new elderly centres. The Labour Department has assigned extra staff to monitor occupational safety on large NDU projects and offers labour rights advice and mediation services, working with trade unions.
For transport, the government is pushing ahead with the "eight north-south, eight east-west" road and rail network, including the Kwu Tung and Hung Shui Wai stations, the Northern Loop rail line, the NDU Highway (San Tin section), the Tsing Lung Bridge on Route 11, and a smart green collective transport system in the Hung Shui Wai/Tsuen Wan New Development Area. Bus routes 77 and 76A started in August and October 2026 to serve early residents. The government also noted its Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme, which covers 33 per cent of monthly fares above HK$500, capped at HK$400 per month.
On a proposed "NDU job-housing balance special plan" allowing public housing tenants working in the NDU to transfer there from other districts, the government said it has no plans to introduce such a scheme. It stated that the Housing Authority's existing transfer policy requires special circumstances, such as medical or social needs, and that work location alone is not considered a valid reason for a cross-estate transfer.
