Authorities are hammering out details before putting one or two sizeable land parcels in the Northern Metropolis project up for tender in the second half of 2025, development chief Bernadette Linn said on Saturday.

The minister said officials are prioritising development in the northern New Territories, while brushing aside calls to shelve the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands project.

"The economy is growing steadily, and the government hopes that all sectors will focus on development in the Northern Metropolis. We have made it clear that we don't have a specific timetable for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands plan, and we are slowing down," Linn told a Commercial Radio programme.

"In terms of the word 'shelve', if it means we will never continue with it, I think the government should have the lead in land development and we should not casually say we will never do something in the future."

The administration had earlier received submissions from both local and mainland firms expressing an interest in developing the three large-scale land parcels in the Northern Metropolis project.

"We are now analysing and preparing detailed terms of the tender, with the goal of starting the bidding process for at least one or two land parcels in the latter half of the year," she said.

On plans to develop three major ecotourism projects in outlying islands and coastal areas, Linn said the plan to transform the ex-Lamma Quarry site might be the first on the list.

Authorities aim to complete the area's land use planning in the first half of next year, before starting the tendering process, she said.

The other two plans include developing a new Eco-Recreation Corridor in South Lantau, and creating ecotourism nodes at Tsim Bei Tsui and Pak Nai.