Shetland Island Council's Housing Service is set to welcome tenants to the first of its new homes at Burnback, north Lerwick.

The properties, which cost £22m to construct, were built and completed by DITT and managed by the Council's Capital Programmes Service.

A total of 22 new properties are on the site, and are a mix of one-bedroom houses and flats, as well as two and three-bedroom homes. The properties were designed to match the need for smaller properties across Shetland, something the Council felt important with regards to recent housing benefit changes and the 'bedroom tax'.

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Executive Manager of Housing, Anita Jamieson, said: "These 22 houses are a very important step for us in meeting the continuing need for housing in Shetland.

"Half of the properties have been offered to existing social rented tenants affected by the housing benefit changes, with the remainder allocated to waiting list, transfer and homeless applicants – in line with our agreed letting plan.

"We now have plans to work in partnership with Hjaltland Housing Association to develop more housing in this area."

Cecil Smith, Chair of the Social Service Committee, added: "I am delighted to see this project coming to conclusion and people moving in to new affordable houses. The contractor has done a great job in completing these houses to a high standard with modern facilities and good energy efficiency."

The project cost £2.2m and secured Scottish Government funding of £600,000.

Hjaltland Housing Association plans to build a further 26 homes in the area, with an anticipated start later in 2013.

(JP/CD)