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The site, one of the highest points in Torfaen, is a former mining area
Controversial plans for an opencast mine on the edge of a world heritage site have been recommended for refusal.
Glamorgan Power, which wants to extract 350,000 tonnes of coal from Varteg Hill, near Blaenavon, Torfaen, says there would be no blasting, create 20 jobs, and remove tips.
But some villagers are worried about health effects on homes and a school, and up to 250 lorry round trips a week.
A special council meeting later will be beamed back to a local hall.
The application covers a 62-hectare (150 acre) site at Varteg Hill, west of Varteg village and about 1.5 miles south of Blaenavon.
Glamorgan Power proposes extracting between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes of coal each week, using only mechanical means.
The 125 lorryloads would then be taken along the B4246, through Blaenavon towards the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road.
The coal would be taken from an 11.6-hectare (28 acre) area on the site. The firm has said the site would have a 10-year period of after care for landscaping.
The site is west of Varteg village, south of Blaenavon
A report to go before councillors at the extraordinary meeting on Tuesday notes that the highest point of a soil storage mound, up to 24m high, would come 110m behind some properties, while others homes would have the mound 60m from them.
Wildlife organisations and local people have objected strongly to the scheme.
Gwent Wildlife Trust said the area was the only known habitat of a species of lichen, as well as home to eight others considered nationally scarce.
The Reverend Priscilla Person, chair of governors at Ysgol Bryn Onnen and campaign secretary of the No Opencast Campaign, said in a statement on the school's website: "This will create a vast plume of dust and the school is less than 500 metres from the site.
"I am concerned about the impact this could have on our children's health."
Council officers conclude the proposals contravenes assembly government guidance that surface working of coal should not occur within 500m of a settlement.
The company proposes a 10-year landscaping scheme after the coal is removed
The report said: "It is considered that the benefits in terms of landscape, safety and regeneration are, at best, marginal.
"In order to recommend approval for an application in such close proximity to residential properties there would have to be clear, substantial and proven benefits.
"It is considered that no overriding significant benefits would arise from the proposal which would justify its approval as such benefits do not exist."
The proceedings of the special council meeting will be shown on video monitors at Millennium Hall, Garndiffaith, from 1400 GMT on Tuesday.
Mining history in the area goes back to 1860, when the Varteg Hill Colliery opened and there was small-scale mining as recently as the 1990s.
Councillors are told in a report that Glamorgan Power argues that the proposal complies with the local development plan and "can make a significant contribution to the regeneration of the local area".
The report also says the applicant would pay £350,000 into a Neighbourhood Renewal Area scheme, with the money focused on properties within 500m of the site, and an extra sum of about £212,000 to be restricted to the 53 homes most likely to be affected.
The firm would also give land to the council for future environmental improvements.
Councillors are also told that Glamorgan Power believes its proposals can also contribute to improvement plans by removing tips and creating a better environment.
The report also says: "In relation to health and safety, the applicants point out that the tips are in close proximity to residential areas, and whilst dwellings are not at any risk of slippage the tips cannot be considered to be a safe amenity area".
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
The site, one of the highest points in Torfaen, is a former mining area Controversial plans for an opencast mine on the edge of a world heritage site have been recommended for refusal.
Glamorgan Power, which wants to extract 350,000 tonnes of coal from Varteg Hill, near Blaenavon, Torfaen, says there would be no blasting, create 20 jobs, and remove tips.
But some villagers are worried about health effects on homes and a school, and up to 250 lorry round trips a week.
A special council meeting later will be beamed back to a local hall.
The application covers a 62-hectare (150 acre) site at Varteg Hill, west of Varteg village and about 1.5 miles south of Blaenavon.
Glamorgan Power proposes extracting between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes of coal each week, using only mechanical means.
The 125 lorryloads would then be taken along the B4246, through Blaenavon towards the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road.
The coal would be taken from an 11.6-hectare (28 acre) area on the site. The firm has said the site would have a 10-year period of after care for landscaping.
The site is west of Varteg village, south of Blaenavon A report to go before councillors at the extraordinary meeting on Tuesday notes that the highest point of a soil storage mound, up to 24m high, would come 110m behind some properties, while others homes would have the mound 60m from them.
Wildlife organisations and local people have objected strongly to the scheme.
Gwent Wildlife Trust said the area was the only known habitat of a species of lichen, as well as home to eight others considered nationally scarce.
The Reverend Priscilla Person, chair of governors at Ysgol Bryn Onnen and campaign secretary of the No Opencast Campaign, said in a statement on the school's website: "This will create a vast plume of dust and the school is less than 500 metres from the site.
"I am concerned about the impact this could have on our children's health."
Council officers conclude the proposals contravenes assembly government guidance that surface working of coal should not occur within 500m of a settlement.
The company proposes a 10-year landscaping scheme after the coal is removed The report said: "It is considered that the benefits in terms of landscape, safety and regeneration are, at best, marginal.
"In order to recommend approval for an application in such close proximity to residential properties there would have to be clear, substantial and proven benefits.
"It is considered that no overriding significant benefits would arise from the proposal which would justify its approval as such benefits do not exist."
The proceedings of the special council meeting will be shown on video monitors at Millennium Hall, Garndiffaith, from 1400 GMT on Tuesday.
Mining history in the area goes back to 1860, when the Varteg Hill Colliery opened and there was small-scale mining as recently as the 1990s.
Councillors are told in a report that Glamorgan Power argues that the proposal complies with the local development plan and "can make a significant contribution to the regeneration of the local area".
The report also says the applicant would pay £350,000 into a Neighbourhood Renewal Area scheme, with the money focused on properties within 500m of the site, and an extra sum of about £212,000 to be restricted to the 53 homes most likely to be affected.
The firm would also give land to the council for future environmental improvements.
Councillors are also told that Glamorgan Power believes its proposals can also contribute to improvement plans by removing tips and creating a better environment.
The report also says: "In relation to health and safety, the applicants point out that the tips are in close proximity to residential areas, and whilst dwellings are not at any risk of slippage the tips cannot be considered to be a safe amenity area".
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
