Hengqin’s Macao New Neighbourhood (MNN) housing complex is expected to get some much-needed new shops this month, including a McDonald’s, Chinese restaurant, supermarket, tea shop and hair salon, according to Macau Urban Renewal Limited (MUR), the public company in charge of the project.
MUR has noted that the outlets were currently “in the fitout process and are expected to be operational in August.” MNN’s construction was completed in 2023 and 30 percent of the Macao government-backed development’s 4,000-odd units had sold by the end of June this year.
MNN residents, who have been getting by with just a convenience store, coffee shop and a package depot since June, have complained to local new outlet TDM that life was inconvenient with so few shops nearby. One person said they wanted to see a 24-hour medical clinic set up there.
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About 5,000 square metres in MNN’s complex have been reserved for commercial purposes. Many businesses already operating in Hengqin, which is part of the mainland, hail from Macao – lured by government incentives and the developing district’s growth potential.
The two territories are closely connected via Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone. Macao and Hengqin share a special two-tier customs system and a multiple entry visa scheme. More than 20,000 Macao residents currently live in Hengqin.