The Secretary for Development revealed that the government is aiming to put at least one sizeable land parcel from the Northern Metropolis up for tender next year.

In last month's Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee revealed his administration has earmarked three land parcels of 10 to 20 hectares each as pilot sites, in a bid to speed up land development.

The three sites are located in San Tin Technopole, Hung Shui Kiu and Fanling North.

Bernadette Linn told a Commercial Radio programme on Saturday that the government will conduct a survey to assess the market's interest at the end of this year.

"By then, we will have a list of questions for the developers. We will also tell them the exact location of these three land plots, the infrastructure and facilities that we expect for each land," she said.

"That's because we have to let them know exactly which location we are referring to and what the government requires."

Meanwhile, Linn also noted that former Chief Executive CY Leung has raised concerns towards the government's plan to keep increasing land supply, saying that it would cause a heavier financial burden.

The government plans to roll out 7,000 hectares of ready-to-use land up by 2048 - three thousand of which will be available in the next decade.

The development secretary, however, brushed off his concern. She believes that Leung, who's now a vice-chairman of the nation's top political advisory body, just wants the government to be prudent.

"I hope the public can see how determined we are in terms of land production. But we're also emphasising that we will be prudent, and I realise the word 'prudent' is what we have in common."

She went on to say that some people are worried that the authorities might be reckless in rolling out ready-to-use land by ignoring the vacancy rate and housing prices at a time when the economy is not in its best shape.