The Lands Department has recovered land in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area as part of the Northern Metropolis development, with all 90 households past their relocation deadlines voluntarily vacating their premises on Thursday.
The department, working with multiple government agencies, transferred the land to the Civil Engineering and Development Department to begin necessary engineering works for the new development zone.
Authorities had notified affected residents about expected relocation deadlines approximately three years ago, posting statutory notices in September 2024, April 2025, August 2025 and October 2025 with staged relocation deadlines from December 2024 through January 2026.
Of the 2,246 affected households, 276 have successfully obtained public housing or collected ex-gratia allowances, while 135 households have been confirmed as preliminarily eligible and referred to the Housing Society or Housing Authority for unit allocation.
The department noted that 499 households were deemed ineligible for resettlement or compensation due to reasons including owning residential properties in Hong Kong, being existing public rental housing tenants, living in unauthorized structures, or failing to meet minimum residence requirements.
Since May 2025, authorities have persuaded 487 households to vacate, emphasizing that tight project timelines for the new development area cannot be further delayed due to overall planning considerations.
