The local community overwhelmingly voted to honour the late Reverend Alexander ‘Sandy’ Downie when Kingdom asked the community council for nominations.

A street naming ceremony was attended by the Reverend’s children and grandchildren.

Rev. Downie served as the village’s Church of Scotland minister for almost four decades until his death in 1992. He married Jean in 1960 and their son and two daughters were born and raised in the village.

David Chisholm, chair of Saline and Steelend Community Council, said: “The Reverend Downie and his wife Jean were at the heart of village life for almost half a century and are remembered by many with great fondness and affection. His children travelled across Scotland for the ceremony and said they were very touched that the community would remember him in this way. People gathered at the church after and it was very heart warming to hear everyone swapping their memories of him.”

David added: “Local people were instrumental in identifying the site on which the new homes have been built and in promoting the provision of affordable housing. It will allow young people who grew up in Saline to raise their families here, close to their own parents and grandparents.”

Sisters Margaret Gordon and Allison MacNeill were accompanied by their brother Dr Alexander (Sandy) Downie.

They said: “We have been truly touched by this very kind act by the Saline community in naming a street in our father’s honour. It is greatly appreciated by us and our families.”

Kingdom received funding of £3.6m from the Scottish Government to provide the £6.9m project of at Oakley Road, Saline. The project provides 49 homes for social rent and six mid-market rent homes.

The project was designed to very high standards by City Architecture from Edinburgh and the new homes have been built for Kingdom by Campion Homes.

Bill Banks, Kingdom’s group chief executive, attended the ceremony and said: “The local community have been very supportive of this project from the start and the naming of the street will provide a longstanding tribute to the Reverend Downie.”

Thanking the local community and the Community Council for their ongoing support, Bill added: “Projects such as this are very important to the local community and will provide much needed local homes and help build and sustain the village for many years to come.”