The Legislative Council of Hong Kong passed a bill on Thursday aimed at accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis by easing planning and land procedures. This bill, introduced for its first reading in July, is seen as crucial for the mega project and future development of the city. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn emphasized that despite the upcoming challenges, the passage of the bill came ahead of schedule by one and a half months, highlighting its importance. Linn indicated that the bill does not seek to address all possible future scenarios but rather focuses on being pragmatic and enterprising. She stated, "The Northern Metropolis brings unlimited opportunities for Hong Kong, as well as many challenges. So at this stage, we do not need to pursue a new legislation that encompasses everything and addresses unlimited imagined scenarios. But rather, we should be pragmatically realistic." The government plans to introduce new legislation when necessary as the Northern Metropolis project progresses through different phases, while amending the recently passed bill to meet future development needs. Authorities aim to submit the associated legislation in January, with the aim of implementing facilitation measures for the project in the first quarter of next year.