Campaigners fear plan for River Wye cleanup has been 'quietly abandoned'

The government has been accused of quietly shelving a delayed plan to restore the polluted River Wye after letters seen by the Guardian show it remains incomplete, with no publication date in sight.

- Helena Horton 

The letters, obtained under freedom of information (FOI) laws, show Thérèse Coffey, then the environment secretary, claimed last August that the government was "close to finalising" a plan to save the Wye and measures would be published within three months. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) refused to provide this plan to the Guardian under an Fol request, stating it had not been finalised. No date has been given for its publication.

The letters also reveal that, in November, a Herefordshire council representative wrote to the new environment secretary, Steve Barclay, asking him to investigate what had happened to the promised plan.

The official, whose identity was redacted in the Fol release, wrote: "It may have been by oversight, but having had our expectations raised locally, sadly, no plan has emerged.

I would be grateful if you could investigate what has happened to the development of the special plan for the Wye and clarify who is developing it and when it will be published." Barclay has not responded.