Duralie Coal has won approval to increase its rail operating hours despite concerns by Gloucester citizens that the move will cause lack of sleep and asthma attacks.
The Planning Assessment Commission was told by Gloucester residents that their physical and emotional health would be affected if Duralie Coal was granted approval to increase its train haulage from 15 to 19 hours a day.
Locals said excessive dust would trigger asthma attacks and noise from the locomotives would disrupt sleep.
However, the Commission granted the move, stating the increase was needed to provide additional network capacity which would enable the mine to extract its approved three million tonnes of coal.
The Commission said the modification was granted under strict conditions.
After 10.00pm Duralie Coal can only receive shuttle trains returning from its Stratford Mine
The company must also publish the number of daily train movements on its website.