Hong Kong authorities want to earmark half of a planned 627-hectare “technopole” near the border with mainland China for innovation and technology purposes – an area equivalent to Shenzhen’s tech hub or 17 science parks – while creating more than 50,000 homes.

The Development Bureau on Thursday said the government would consider adopting land grant methods other than open tendering in the San Tin Technopole, a major development project in the planned Northern Metropolis, including providing sites directly to organisations.