The Development Bureau said on Friday that the proposed dedicated legislation for the Northern Metropolis will make sites more attractive for developers, as it hopes to expedite the process required for changing land use in non-conservation zones. It is looking to cut the current nine-month process to two by simplifying application procedures. Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands) Doris Ho told RTHK that companies value efficiency and the plan will help lure them to set up shop in the mega project. "Our investment promotion colleagues have always reminded us that if the industrial sites cannot be made available in the short-term, firms will not actually be interested in them," she said. "The current procedure takes about a year before we can complete the planning. By then, firms might have gone to other places or may no longer be interested in Hong Kong." As for whether the proposed streamlined procedures would apply to wetland buffer areas, Ho said that will depend on their statutory land uses. “We've also made it clear that it is not that [these areas] cannot be developed. But if you have to develop them, detailed studies have to be carried out, including on the ecosystem,” she said. “For instance, if there are conservation zones in a buffer area, it is not included in the streamlined procedures. So it will depend on the statutory land uses of these areas." Ho also said innovative construction technology to speed up building times will positively impact the mega project by reducing construction costs and making development more efficient. Edited by Aaron Tam