HUME Coal's plans for coal exploration in the Southern Highlands have made little difference to the price of real estate in the area, according to estate agent Bill Carpenter.
The mining company holds an exploration licence covering 115 km2 west of Moss Vale and extending into the Belanglo State Forest.
The Bowral property valuer said property buyers were aware of the plans for exploration in the area, but it had not deterred them from purchasing.
"In a recent sale where the land was affected by exploration, the buyer was well aware of it and was still happy to proceed," Mr Carpenter said.
"People are certainly aware of it but I can't say that sale prices have been affected by it.
"We sold a five-acre block out at Canyonleigh and the bloke that bought that was aware that the mining exploration could affect the land but the price he bought it for was about what I expected.
"He tried to use the exploration as a bargaining chip, but at the end of the day they agreed on a price and it was just the usual bit of argie bargie."
Mr Carpenter said the recent sale of The Chase in Sutton Forest, rumoured to have been sold for much lower than market valuation, was not affected by mining exploration.
"They were seeking $7 million for it and it sold for a bit less than that before it went to auction," he said.
"The exploration lease runs right along the boundary of the property and doesn't actually touch it but a number of people did raise it.
"The owners would not have sold it if they didn't feel it was a good price."
A spokesman for Hume Coal said recent media reports about planned drill sites near Nicole Kidman's property at Sutton Forest were false.
"Hume Coal wishes to clarify that it has no plans to drill on or at the borders of the Sutton Forest property owned by Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban in the NSW Southern Highlands, contrary to recent media reports," he said.
He said the original two drill sites, one right near Golden Vale Road and the other behind Bunya Hill, had been moved 200 metres away from what was outlined in the Review of Enivronmental Factors submitted in March.
"It is important to note that any drilling on private property can only be undertaken after reaching an agreement with the property owner," the spokesman said.
"Hume Coal is in the process of seeking agreement with certain landowners to conduct exploration on their properties in the future.
"Coal mining has been an important part of the Southern Highlands economy since the 1800's. The Berrima Colliery, adjacent to the Hume Coal Project, has been operational for 85 years and has had minimal environmental impact on the area."
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