The Ironstone Community Action Group had appealed the approval in the Land and Environment court, and the court handed down its decision last Thursday.

Gloucester Coal released a statement on the Australian Stock Exchange welcoming the decision, which includes revised conditions which the release said the company was reviewing.

The chief judge of the environment court modified the conditions of the extension in a 100-age page report before granting approval.

In the statement Gloucester Coal chief executive Brendan McPherson “confirmed the Company’s strong commitment to environmentally responsible conduct of all its operations.”

Barrington-Glouces ter-Stroud Preservation Alliance Graeme Healey was in Sydney at the Land and Environment Court last week to hear the decision being handed down.

He said the court had significantly modified the conditions of consent which supported the four points that the appeal had been lodged on.

Extensions to increase the life of the mine from 2012 to 2010 were originally approved in December last year before the action group appealed.

Production will increase from 12.3million tonnes to 20.5 million tonnes over the life of the mine, with maximum annual output of 3 million tonnes.