PEOPLE in Fairbourne are ready to begin their legal battle to recover the value of their homes.

Residents are potentially seeking £100million worth of compensation after a controversial report recommended the evacuation of the village.

At a well-attended meeting at the start of the year, residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of pursuing legal action over the controversial Shoreline Management Plan 2 (SMP2) which “blighted” the Fairbourne community by presenting “alarmist” information.

Fairbourne Facing Change (FFC), a community group dedicated to securing the village’s future­, has been collecting funds in a bid to hire a top legal mind from London to fight their corner.

The lawyer will need at least £15,000 in legal fees, although this represents a “tiny fraction” of the usual rates which would normally be applie­d by a barrister specialising in this field according to a FFC representative.

After many months of campaigning, the community has now raised enough money and has secured the services of London Barrister Tim Leader.

See the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News