Destiny Church is understood to have acquired a 10-acre block of land in South Auckland to builid its own community.

Brian Tamaki announced at Destiny Church's New Year's Eve 'MegaService' in Rotorua that the church had gained resource consent to build schools, a university and a massive auditorium in South Auckland.

He said the church will take possession of the property this year and called it their "promised land".

Auckland Council was not yet able to confirm consent had been granted.

In footage of the service screened on Destiny Church website, Tamaki says "we signed a contract" and "we can do anything we want - we can build it".

"We had to get resource consent meaning that the council would let us build our schools, our auditorium - basically building a town," Tamaki says.

The land is believed to be on Druces Rd, Wiri.

The deal reportedly allows Destiny to lease the land from December with an option to buy after it sells its Mt Wellington headquarters.

Tamaki is now understood to be calling for donations from his congregation.

"Much of your seed is going to go toward the foundations of an offering toward our promised land, and that beginning is not going to come without a fruitful start financially," he said at the service.

Manurewa Local Board chairman Daniel Newman supports the church's plan.

"My view is that if Destiny Church or any of its affiliated organisations want to purchase land to build a social infrastructure it is their prerogative," he said.

"There is an absolute need to provide housing to accomodate Auckland's growing population, so I support it."

Newman, who lives in a gated community in Wattle Downs, said he does not believe the church's plans to be separatist.

"We have never had a problem with gated communties. Some people might oppose it, but we're a diverse community and I don't believe the wider Manurewa community will have a problem with it," he said.

Destiny Church could not be contacted for comment.

- © Fairfax NZ News