Following a vote on 4 March 2026, the church has agreed to progress the project to the building phase. The Development Team is finalising arrangements with the preferred contractor and will enter into the necessary agreements so that work on site can begin. We expect to be in a position to break ground within the next couple of months!
The Financial Need
The estimated cost of construction: £5,400,000.
We currently have in the bank or committed: £2,800,000
We have secured a loan of: £1,000,000
Given this need, our current target is to raise another £1,600,000 to fund the project to completion.
We believe that if God wants this building, it will only be through His provision. We also understand that God works through means. He works through the generous giving of people in order to provide. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with us to continue to see the gospel faithfully proclaimed in the city centre of Belfast?
If you wish to contact us or ask any questions, you can do so by emailing david.nicholl@gtvicbaptist.com or treasurer@gtvicbaptist.com. All information will be completely confidential. If you wish to support us you can contribute via our Just Giving page, or using the bank details below:
Great Victoria Street Baptist Church: Acc No. 00164625: Sort Code. 980010
Why we are redeveloping?
Our redevelopment is driven by four core needs:
- A permanent home for Great Vic — a long-term base for a spiritually strong, growing church committed to spreading the gospel
- High-quality ministry facilities — suitable spaces for Sunday services, children and youth ministry, outreach, special events, and wider church life
- A practical base for teams and staff — rooms that support our ministries, leadership, training, and day-to-day church operations
- A visible city-centre witness — a bright presence for the Gospel in Belfast’s city centre
Why now?
The need has become urgent because:
- The church continues to grow and our current space no longer serves us well
- Health and safety requirements are increasingly challenging in the existing building
- The building is deteriorating and maintenance is becoming less sustainable
- Access and exit are constrained, especially as services end and congestion builds
What the new building includes?
Below are the plans for the building project, including:
- 250-seat sanctuary as well as further seating in the balcony
- An open and inviting frontage right on Great Victoria Street
- Multiple meeting rooms
- Sensory room
- Youth lounge / coffee area
- Offices
- Sports Hall
- Kitchen + servery
- Parking (25 spaces)
150 Years of God’s Work
Great Victoria Street Baptist Church has a long history of gospel witness in Belfast city centre. The church was formed in 1839 and a building was erected on the present site in 1866 with a capacity of 720, one of the largest Baptist church buildings in Ireland. Although membership was drawn from across Belfast and the surrounding area, the people believed that the witness of this local church was needed in the heart of a city’s life. Over the years, many Baptist churches in Belfast were formed by members from Great Vic and the church also maintained an active involvement in missionary work, both locally and globally.
Like many city centre churches, Great Vic suffered through the violence of the “Troubles” as people moved away from the
city centre and normal life was disrupted. The congregation declined and by 2010 membership had fallen to less than
100 with few families. Ten years ago, the original church building was demolished as part of a deal with a property
developer to build a new church building. That deal collapsed, leaving the church with its original site but no church
building, meeting in a former church hall, set back from the main road.
Today, Great Vic is a thriving and growing city centre church with a membership of over 140 members and regular
attendance of 200 on a Sunday morning with a diverse all-age congregation. We are growing as a church and as a
witness. Our mission states that we exist to:
- Glorify the God of the gospel
- Grow in our understanding of enjoyment of the gospel
- Go to the city and the world with the gospel.
The church and its ministry have continued to expand and the need for more and better facilities has become increasingly
urgent. For the last 15 years at least we have been planning for a new church building and we believe that the time
is right now to push forward on those plans.