According to the Birmingham Post, former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing is going solo with plans for a leisure resort around his countryside golf course, after buying out his Birmingham-based partners, which included Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke. He wants to build a world-class golf resort with 40 holiday homes at Astbury Hall, his stately home near Bridgnorth, in south Shropshire.

At the heart of Downing’s plans is the construction of 40 new holiday units, with longer-term plans for a hotel, spa and another nine-hole course.

“We have established a fantastic vision, secured planning permission, now we have a wonderful opportunity at The Astbury to deliver something truly world class for golf in the region,” Downing said.

Read more at the Birmingham Post.

Five years on from K.K. Downing’s departure from Judas Priest, the legendary guitarist tells BlastEcho that he doesn’t completely close the door on a return to the band.

Asked if he’d return on the occasion of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inducting Judas Priest, Downing says he’d make the trip Stateside to attend. “I’d be fine with anything like that,” he says.

As for a reunion prior to that unlikely induction, Downing says, “Obviously they have Richie (Faulkner) there. Maiden has done the three-guitar player (thing), but I don’t think there’s room for an extra guitar player in Priest. Priest has always been a two-guitar band so I can’t see that working. We’ll have to see what happens next.”

Read the full interview at BlastEcho.