Asian property group CapitaLand is believed to be investigating privatising Australian-listed property group Australand ahead of a debt repayment due in June, sources in Singapore say.

CapitaLand, which already owns 59.3% of the Australian developer, has a war chest of $S6bn ($5.7 billion) following last week's $S1.84bn capital raising.

Sources in Singapore told The Australian that an opportunity to privatise Australand could arise when its $562 million of commercial mortgage-backed securities matured in June.

CapitaLand, with assets of almost $S26bn, made a net profit of $S1.26bn in the 2008 financial year.

The Australian