During the build, contractor Calmax Construction Limited had a number of challenges to deal with including weather and travel disruptions and like many others at present, a delay in the supply of electricity meters.

The successful completion of these new homes in June was a milestone celebrated by HHP and its guests.

Dena Macleod, chief executive at HHP, said: “The completion of these six high quality affordable homes on Barra is testament to the collaborative way all our partners worked together. Suitable land was made available by The Church of Scotland and the grant funding was provided by The Scottish Government and the Comhairle and we provided private finance. We would particularly like to thank our contractor, Calmax Construction and consultants for the way they managed the challenges mentioned above.”

Minister for housing, Paul McLennan, added: “These six new homes will provide significant benefit to the community by keeping people in the area and attracting others to live there, helping to sustain and grow it. Our rural and island communities play an essential role in our economy, and working with partners, such as Hebridean Housing Partnership, we will continue to support the delivery of affordable housing across these communities.

“These homes add to our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island communities.”

Cllr Iain A MacNeil, Barraigh agus Bhatarsaigh Ward representative and chairman of the Comhairle’s Housing Working Group, said: “I’m very pleased that these new houses have now reached completion and it’s great to see families moving in and turning them into homes. The houses will play an important part in helping reduce housing need on Barra and will be a great asset for the community.

“I look forward to seeing more much needed new housing developments like this in the future. I’d like to congratulate HHP and the contractor for delivering a very fine project.”

Rev Scott Rennie, vice-chair of the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland, said: “We are acutely aware of the affordable housing shortage on Barra and the pressures felt by local people struggling to find suitable homes that they can call their own. Therefore, we are delighted that glebe land at Rathad Na Ceardaich, which was traditionally used by the local church minister in years gone by to keep livestock, has been put to very good use.”