Nextpolis project: Chinese Billionaire plans to relocate 15000 Hong Kongers to outskirts of Dundalk by 2025

The possibility for a mixed community of Hong Kong citizens and Irish is rising in Ireland.

In July, Ivan Ko, chief executive of the Victoria Harbor Group (VHG), had revealed that he was looking for a site to relocate 500,000 Hong Kong citizens.

Ivan Ko, a Chinese billionaire, had planned at relocating 500,000 Hong Kong citizens to a new development called Nextpolis, covering 500 square kilometres on one of six sites in Ireland.

This figure is now down to 15,000 but the plan has not changed. The city of Dundlak in County Louth was found to be ideal for Nextpolis.

In the coming weeks, the Chinese billionaire plans to visit 50-square-kilometer site in the outskirts of Dundalk.

To discuss the further steps, two weeks ago Evan Ko had sent one of his representative to talk with Paddy Malone, a spokesman for the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce.

The spokesperson said Dundalk is a favorable area for Nextpolis project and that within one year VHG decided to purchase the property and that by 2025, 15,000 Hong Kongers would be relocated to Ireland.

Speaking to Property Week, Mr. Malone said: “He said it would be everyone from bosses, to middle management, to operatives. It wouldn’t be class or wealth-defined in any shape.”

Malone added that he did not mention about funding but he spoke about basic necessities such as setting up a university, hospital and light rail. He has also told Malone that Mr. Ko would soon visit Dundalk.