Brian Wilson will visit the area

UK Energy Minster Brian Wilson will lead a delegation to the area next week to discuss the proposals with members of the Western Isles Council and landowners, the Stornoway Trust.

Mr Wilson said the discussions had been "going on quietly for months".

The government has already commissioned a feasibility study into plans to link wave and wind farms to the national grid by running a sub-sea cable down the west coast of Britain.

Mr Wilson said: "I very much hope that developments of this scale can be linked to the infrastructure."

A spokesman for Amec confirmed that the two companies were agreeing on the terms for a feasibility study into the possibility of wind farms on the Scottish west coast.

Discussions welcomed

However, he said it was too early to comment in detail on the proposals.

The idea is still at an early stage and no application for planning permission has yet been submitted to the local council.

However, Friends of the Earth Scotland welcomed the news that the discussions were under way.

Chief executive Kevin Dunion said Scotland's wind resource was the best in Europe.

Efforts will have to be made, as has been done elsewhere, to make sure that natural heritage interests are not damaged

Kevin Dunion, Friends of the Earth Scotland

But he stressed: "We have to see the planning details and sound out community opinion.

"The development has got to be accommodated within a designated area and efforts will have to be made, as has been done elsewhere, to make sure that natural heritage interests are not damaged."

The UK Government wants to create a �1bn market for renewable energy by 2010.

This year has already seen the emergence of plans to create a massive wind farm at Whitelee Forest, on Eaglesham Moor, south of Glasgow.

The �150m Scottish Power project would involve about 140 turbines and be capable of generating enough electricity to power 150,000 homes.