Those cheers became louder on Tuesday when the state government announced plans to ban coal seam gas exploration and production around residential areas.

NSW premier Barry O’Farrell announced a 2km buffer zone around residential areas and sensitive industries such as wineries and horse studs.

Member for Upper Hunter George Souris  said the new measures would make country towns ‘no go zones’ for coal seam gas because they created a two kilometre surface and subsurface buffer zone around residential areas.

The new measures also include an independent review of all coal seam gas activities in New South Wales, including impacts on water catchments.

A preliminary report is anticipated to be completed by July 2013.

While there was plenty of cheering amongst members of the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance members, group spokesperson Graeme Gibson said he would wait to see the fine print of the legislation before he would be convinced the battle against the industry was over.

He said he was very pleased Singleton Council had reaffirmed its 2012 position to decline AGL permission to conduct seismic testing on local roads when councillors met on Monday.

“To do so unanimously was very pleasing,” he said.