iconic Belfast building is to undergo a £20m revamp that will see it being replaced by an 'urban village' concept.

The East Belfast Mission (EBI), located in the city's Newtownards Road, will be knocked down in the New Year to make way for the Skainos project.

Along with a new church building, the initiative will also bring social and private housing, retail and office space, a 26-bed youth hostel and a community centre to the two-acre site.

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Members of the church congregation are to hold a special farewell service tonight before it the bulldozers move in.

Since 1826, the mission has maintained a tradition of demolishing its previous church building and starting afresh, roughly every 50 years. The Skainos project is seen as the next phase in this cycle.

Glenn Jordan, Director of the Skainos project, said: "The current building was built in 1941 after the church was destroyed by Nazi bombs."

Work is due to start on the new scheme in April 2010, with completion expected by February 2012.

The project has received funding from the Department of Social Development, European Union Peace III, the International Fund for Ireland and the East Belfast Mission itself.

(NS/BMcc)