KK Downing's £40m hope for Astbury Hall leisure complex
Plans for the building of a major leisure in the grounds of former Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing's Shropshire estate have received a multi-million pound boost, it was revealed today.
Investors from the UK and China are set to provide the backing for the £40 million project, which will see the grounds of Astbury Hall near Bridgnorth transformed.
He has also teamed up with Birmingham property developer Anthony McCourt, who was part of the team that led The Cube development in Birmingham out of administration, to move the proposals forward.
The plans for the 320-acre Astbury Hall estate include a 63-room hotel, indoor swimming pool, spa and a top class restaurant, and would create 'hundreds' of jobs for the estate and surrounding area.
Mr Downing said the hotel and leisure facilities, which he bought in 1985, would tie in with plans to attract some of the world's best golfers and competitions to his course on the site.
The building of the new hotel and lodges could be the key to encouraging the PGA to hold a major golf event on the estate, which already has a professional-standard course, and Mr Downing has targeted getting a Michelin starred restaurant on site.
It is already set to host a PGA Europro tour event from May 15 to 17, which will be screened on Sky television in a first for the club.
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