The owner of Dainton Park Golf Club has talked of his £1 million plans to develop luxury 62 bed accommodation and an improved fitness suite on the site. David Wood first opened the 18-hole course in 1993, and since then has attracted up to 30,000 golfers each year. With regular membership approaching the 1,000 mark he believes the time is right to make the course even more attractive and to capitalise on the passion for golf which shows no sign of letting up. 'Dainton Park has developed, it has matured, and what it needs now is accommodation,' he told this paper. 'Golfers often go away together in parties and they prefer to stay on the course rather than off it. Currently there's nothing really in the Totnes and Newton Abbot area and in the summer not only is Torquay full, but it can be very difficult to get to.' His planning application, submitted to Teignbridge Council last week, outlines plans for a 31 room accommodation suite, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, enlarged gymnasium and 30 additional car parking spaces. Mr Wood also wants to convert the existing gym into staff accommodation as at present the course has none and the number of employees is set to rise. 'We've been good for the area and good for the community,' he said. 'This used to be a 130-acre farm employing two people, we currently employ around 25 full-time staff and many more part-timers and temporary staff. 'I'm not sure yet how many new jobs will be created, but there will definitely be a net gain overall.' He said that until planners had given his scheme the go ahead it was impossible to reveal the final cost of the scheme although he estimated a seven figure sum. 'Realistically I would have thought it will be a million or more,' he said. The plans are likely to go before Teignbridge planners within the next month.
