[11]In long-term consideration, Long Valley will be preserved as a nature park to compensate for the wetland loss due to the New Development Areas (NDAs).
Two pieces of land located at the north and south of the park are reserved for agricultural purposes for farmers to purchase or rent.
This plan targeted the integration with the Pearl River Delta's development and the generation of employment opportunities in the Six Industries.
[23]The public were engaged in focus group discussions on four topics: implementation mechanisms, people-oriented communities, strategic roles of NENT NDAs, and sustainable living environment.
[26]Briefing sessions were also arranged for the Hong Kong Institute of Planners, the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, Heung Yee Kuk New Territories (Heung Yee Kuk), and the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) in December 2008 and January 2009.
Many of the attendees were local residents, members of NDC, RCs, and representatives from relevant organizations like PlanD, Ma Shi Po Environmental Concern Group, and Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong.
[34] Local committees and professional organizations met with the Green Group representatives and North District Secondary School Principals who gathered their opinions.
The study team remained work closely with aforementioned agencies, Housing Authority, relevant local committees, professional bodies, and other stakeholders such as green groups.
[50] Affected residents and activists stormed the Legislative Council building over the plan while pan-democrats filibustered over the bill.
[53]The final report of the study was released in July 2014[54] and the government launched a new website for KTN FLN NDAs on October 6, 2014.
[57] Helps to resolve the problems brought by industrial land and open warehouses to improve life quality of local residents.
[58] The ‘Commercial, Research and Development Cluster’ acts as a driving economic force in the areas; it creates job opportunities to local residents.
During the initial stage of consultation, the government only invited Heung Yee Kok registered organizations, and government-affiliated committees to the meetings.
[61] Responding to this, fifty thousand submissions opposed to the policy were submitted to Town Planning Board (TPB)[62] and many protests followed.
In spite of strong opposition, the government bypassed the TPB to apply for an appropriation to Financial Committee, legislative council (LegCo).
Leung has made remarks on the planning during his Chief Executive Election campaign; he suggested developing the areas into a 'special administrative region' in Hong Kong which would be visa-free to Mainland visitors.
Opposition leaders in the Legislative Council have claimed that this will affect the sovereignty of Hong Kong; however, the pro-Establishment camp has expressed that the 'visa-free zone' will boost the retail and tourism industry of the Northern New Territories, bringing positive economic benefits.