A politician is flying to New York to tell Donald Trump that if Scotland is not open for business then Northern Ireland certainly is.

The move came within hours of the news that plans for Trump's £1bn golf resort on the outskirts of Aberdeen are to be the subject of a public local inquiry, delaying the project by several months at least.

It is now almost two years since the flamboyant billionaire revealed his proposals for the Menie Estate at Balmedie, to the north of Aberdeen.

The plans include two 18-hole links golf courses; 450-room hotel, conference centre and spa; 950 holiday homes; 36 golf villas and 500 houses.

It has been estimated that the project would boost the region's economy by £50m a year and the Scottish economy by a further £12m, with 6000 jobs created during construction and 1200 on completion.

Now just days after he stepped down as a junior minister in the Stormont power sharing executive, Ian Paisley junior, Democratic Unionist Assembly member, is flying to America to make clear to Donald Trump that Northern Ireland would like that kind of economic boost.

The North Antrim Member of the Legislative Assembly, whose father the Rev Ian Paisley met Donald Trump in New York in December as Stormont First Minister, confirmed he had spoken to a senior executive after Mr Trump expressed disappointment a public inquiry had been ordered.

"I have spoken with the senior executive of the Trump organisation in New York and I've expressed to him my concern that their plans for development in Scotland have been set back by a public inquiry," said Mr Paisley.

"I assured him that Northern Ireland is still an area open for business and would welcome representatives of the Trump organisation, including Donald Trump, at the Northern Ireland and USA investment conference in May.

"There is no doubt that Scotland's decision to delay the Aberdeenshire development provides an opportunity for this part of the UK to provide the Trump organisation with inroads into European development."

While a cloud of uncertainty hung over the Scottish development, a top Trump organisation aide visited Northern Ireland last month on a scouting mission for possible locations for a golf resort.

Mr Paisley facilitated the tour of four locations by George Sorial, Trump's managing director for internat-ional development. It is understood one of the locations is at Runkerry, near Bushmills in north Antrim.