The forest land is in Fort Augustus on the banks of Loch Ness

Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm cut the first sod at the site of eight new houses on Tuesday.

Albyn Housing Society is creating the development with funding from Scottish Executive agency Communities Scotland.

The land was transferred to the housing association as part of an agreement between Communities Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland.

The two organisations are working together to make national forest land available for affordable housing in rural areas where there are shortages.

The land at Jenkins Park was transferred under a sponsorship scheme which has now been replaced by the national forest land scheme.

The first four sites to be released under the new programme are at Dunoon, Loch Awe, Sunart and Mull.