#NewsUpdate - A bridge connecting Northern Ireland and Scotland a top architect has said claimed could create a "Celtic powerhouse".

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Professor Alan Dunlop from Liverpool University said a road and rail crossing from Larne to Dumfries and Galloway would boost the Irish and Scottish economies, and help ease border pressures after Brexit.

Simon Hamilton: Plan for Irish Sea link worth exploring  "A bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland would be an excellent idea," he said.

Prof Dunlop's comments followed suggestions by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson that a bridge linking England and France could be on the table.

In an interview with Scottish newspaper The National, Prof Dunlop stated that an Irish-Scottish suspension bridge would make more sense than one in the English Channel, which could cost as much as £120bn.

He said: "In terms of a crossing between Scotland and Northern Ireland, a Celtic Connection, the coastline between each country is more sheltered and the waterway better protected [than the English Channel].

"Crucially, the North Channel of the Irish Sea is not nearly as significant a shipping lane. To propose a bridge between Scotland and Ireland would in fact be a big step in actually creating a 'Celtic Powerhouse' and give politicians the opportunity to invest in the infrastructure of the true north."

Estimating a possible cost for an Irish-Scottish bridge, Prof Dunlop said it could be completed for between £15bn to £20bn.

To read more, click the newspaper link here.