A new coalition of national and local environmental and amenity groups have called on ministers to save the Peak District National Park from uncontrolled quarrying.

The consortium, which includes the British Mountaineering Council, the Council for National Parks, the Ramblers' Association, Friends of the Earth and the Campaign to Protect Rural England among others, was formed in the wake of a recent High Court ruling. The controversial judgement overturned an earlier public inquiry decision that ruled excessive limestone quarrying at Backdale Quarry on Longstone Edge was illegal and must cease.

According to the Council for National Parks, the decision to overturn the ruling allows "potentially uncontrolled limestone extraction that threatens to remove nearly all of the 350 hectare eastern end of the beauty spot". Local residents are concerned of the effect that the quarrying could have on recreation, wildlife and tourism. There are also concerns that the ruling could act as a precedent.

A coalition spokesperson, Ruth Chamber, deputy chief executive of the Council for National Parks, said: "Quarries like Backdale, whose planning permission dates from the 1950s, can cause enormous environmental damage if they are not subject to modern environmental standards."

The group has called for Hazel Blears, planning secretary and Hilary Benn, Defra secretary, to provide financial resources to allow the Peak District National Park Authority to exercise its powers to revoke the permission and pay compensation to the landowner and quarry operator if necessary.