New research, released today by Wildlife and Countryside Link, reveals that overstretched and under-resourced English Local Authorities have been struggling to meet legal deadlines to consider the nature recovery action they need to take and the policies to support this.

Coinciding with these findings, nature groups including RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, Friends of the Earth and the Woodland Trust are launching a new Wilder By Design campaign today. They are calling for the Government’s upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill to include a series of reforms to deliver a planning system that not only minimises harm to nature but actively supports the recovery of wildlife and wild places.