A drawn out legal fight by homeowners in a Buffalo neighborhood is nearing conclusion.

A State Supreme Court judge Wednesday approved a $7.2 million settlement on behalf of more than 200 plaintiffs who now or at one time lived in the Hickory Woods section of South Buffalo.

Justice John Michalek's approval stops four lawsuits against the City of Buffalo and Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency and creates a fund that will pay residents and former residents who lived in the contaminated neighborhood. Many residents documented illnesses and property damages.

The litigation began eight years ago. The site is adjacent to property that at one time was home to industrial operations of several companies, including Donner-Hanna Coke Corp., National Steel Corp., and LTV Steel Company Inc.

It will be up to the court to determine how much each plaintiff receives from the settlement fund.