Mace Consult, via a joint venture (AV) with Arup, has been appointed as the programme management partner by the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) of Hong Kong for the Northern Metropolis development.

This JV will oversee the establishment of a Programme Management Office (PMO) across the 30,000-hectare development programme connecting northern Hong Kong to southern Shenzhen.

The Northern Metropolis aims to bolster collaboration between Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area cities, accommodating a residential population of 2.5 million and creating approximately 650,000 jobs.

It is anticipated to enhance Hong Kong’s economic growth by providing land for technology centres, housing, culture, and leisure facilities.

As one of the JV's programme management partners, Mace Consult said it will lead the provision of multidisciplinary programme management services for two important aspects of the Northern Metropolis. The PMO will implement systems and processes to ensure the successful delivery of this urban development initiative.

This project marks CEDD’s first use of the PMO model, facilitating collaboration from the programme's inception. The partnership will also establish an integrated digital platform for data collection and analysis, enabling informed decision-making throughout the complex delivery process.

The Mace-Arup JV supports the Hong Kong government’s efforts to advance major programmes, aiming for economic growth and enhanced quality of life.

Mace Consult CEO Davendra Dabasia said: “This appointment is a true testament to Mace’s strong track record of delivering the most complex programmes across the world.”

CEDD director Michael Fong Hok Shing said: “The scale of the Northern Metropolis is unprecedented. It is a massive and complex programme and the PMO will provide support and oversight to help us navigate the challenges ahead.

"This ties in directly with CEDD’s strategic goal of fostering team spirit, empowering colleagues, and enabling everyone to reach their full potential. It’s not just about managing scale; it’s about working smarter. The PMO is designed to streamline workflows, enabling CEDD to operate more efficiently and effectively.”

Recently, SMBL appointed Mace as construction manager for the £1.1bn ($1.48bn) development of the British Library’s St Pancras site.

Mace will work under the direction of development manager Stanhope and contribute its construction expertise for the project's procurement and delivery phase.

SMBL is a company partnered with the British Library and wholly owned by Mitsui Fudosan UK.