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| Secretary for Development (Hong Kong) | |
|---|---|
| Post | Secretary for Development |
| Body | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region |
| Incumbent | Rex Auyeung? |
| Department | Development Bureau |
| Style | The Honourable |
| Member of | Executive Council of Hong Kong |
| Reports to | Chief Executive of Hong Kong |
| Seat | Central, Hong Kong |
| Appointer | Chief Executive of Hong Kong |
| Formation | 2007 |
| Precursor | Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands |
Secretary for Development (Hong Kong) is a senior official position in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region responsible for urban planning, infrastructure, land administration, and public works. The office oversees policy formulation for spatial planning, transport-related infrastructure, housing-related land supply, and heritage conservation. The post interacts with the Chief Executive, the Executive Council, Legislative Council panels, and statutory bodies to coordinate major construction and redevelopment projects across Hong Kong.
The Secretary leads the Development Bureau and sets strategic direction for land use, urban renewal, and public works, liaising with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the Executive Council of Hong Kong, and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on major policy proposals. Responsibilities include supervising the Lands Department, the Planning Department, and the Civil Engineering and Development Department. The Secretary provides policy oversight for infrastructure projects such as cross-harbour links, new town developments, and major public housing sites, coordinating with statutory boards like the Urban Renewal Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Authority. Engagements extend to international counterparts in cities such as Singapore, Tokyo, London, New York City, and Sydney on urban planning and resilience.
The position was established in 2007 following reorganization of policy bureaux, succeeding functions previously held by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands. The change reflected shifts after the 1997 establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and administrative reforms promoted by successive Chief Executives including Donald Tsang, Leung Chun-ying, and Carrie Lam. Earlier antecedents trace to colonial-era posts such as the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works and the Public Works Department, with responsibilities evolving through milestones like the 1998 Urban Renewal Strategy, the 2002 land sale adjustments, the 2014 Land Supply Policy debates, and the 2019 infrastructure acceleration initiatives. The office adapted to major events such as the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, the 2014 Occupy movement, and the 2019–2020 protests, which influenced priorities on housing supply, transport linkages, and urban resilience.
The Secretary heads a bureau composed of divisions covering planning, lands, infrastructure projects, and heritage conservation, supported by the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) and the Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands). Key subordinate departments include the Architectural Services Department, the Water Supplies Department where relevant interface exists, and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. The portfolio encompasses coordination with statutory authorities including the MTR Corporation, the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Housing Authority, and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority where transport and land supply intersect with finance and investment. The Secretary also chairs interbureau committees addressing cross-cutting projects like the West Kowloon Cultural District, the Northern Metropolis development framework, and major cross-boundary schemes with the Guangdong Province and the Greater Bay Area initiative.
Officeholders since the post’s formation include appointees designated by successive Chief Executives. Notable Secretaries have worked with Principal Officials, Permanent Secretaries, and Directors of key departments such as the Director of Lands (Hong Kong), the Director of Planning (Hong Kong), and the Director of Civil Engineering and Development (Hong Kong). The role has been occupied by figures drawn from the civil service, private sector executives, and politically appointed officials under frameworks established in the Basic Law and the Principal Officials Accountability System introduced in 2002.
Major initiatives led or coordinated by the Secretary have included land supply measures such as rezoning strategies, application of the Lands Resumption Ordinance (Cap. 124), urban renewal schemes administered via the Urban Renewal Authority, and infrastructure programmes like the construction of new town extensions, smart city pilots, and resilience upgrades to harbourfront promenades. The office has promoted initiatives in heritage conservation aligning with the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap. 53), brownfield site transformation, and public-private partnership frameworks for large-scale projects. Cross-boundary collaboration has involved memoranda and planning accords with mainland entities under the Greater Bay Area policy and joint planning with the Shenzhen municipal authorities.
The Secretary’s decisions have attracted scrutiny over land supply adequacy, transparency in land sales, and handling of urban renewal compensations, prompting debates in the Legislative Council Public Accounts Committee and media outlets such as South China Morning Post and The Standard. Controversies have arisen around heritage preservation controversies involving the Star Ferry Pier and the Central Market, disputes over brownfield policy in the New Territories, and procurement issues in major infrastructure projects overseen by the Highways Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department. Critics from civic groups such as Society for Community Organization, legal challenges before the Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong), and rulings under the Judicial Review Ordinance (Cap. 58) have shaped public debate and adjustments to policy implementation.
Category:Government of Hong Kong Category:Hong Kong public administration