Two educational projects are bidding to open schools at the historic Victualling Yard at Dockyard, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

The Makeda Trust plans to put forward a proposal to create a performing arts academy at the site in the next few weeks to the West End Development Corporation (Wedco).

But it will have to compete with an idea from Riquette Bonne-Smith, the Honorary French Consul, to locate a "graduate university village" there, potentially in conjunction with a prestigious US college.

Wedco chairman Stanley Lee told The Royal Gazette>on Thursday that neither scheme had been formally proposed yet. "These two have been making inquiries," he said. "We haven't made any decision and in fact we will be putting out a request for proposals which will be open to the public. We don't have any proposals at this time for the Victualling Yard and buildings.

"At present one section is kind of derelict. The other is used for workshops. There is an upholstery store and other items."

The Victualling Yard — which Mr. Lee described as about the size of City Hall and its car park — was completed in about 1853 and was used to store provisions for the British Royal Navy when it had a base at Dockyard.

It has two buildings which face each other on either side of the courtyard behind the Frog and Onion pub. One of the storerooms was gutted by fire years ago.

Previous plans for housing on the site have stalled due to Wedco only been able to issue 21-year leases but new legislation allowing 120-year leases was approved by the House of Assembly last year.

Shawn Murphy, from the Makeda Trust, said the site would provide the perfect setting for a performing arts school.

"Our dream is to have this at the Victualling Yard," he said. "There are a lot of reasons for it. There are many sites around that area where performances could be staged."

He said the idea was to link the curriculum at the non fee-paying school — which would have places for almost 500 students aged 11 to 18 — with the tourism industry.

"Students could meet the cruise ship visitors there and take them on tours through the museum, performing to them as part of the curriculum.

"You basically have a captive audience of three thousand people every time those ships come in.

"That area has been designated the cultural centre for Bermuda. We see the school as forming the heart of that centre. It fits very well into the whole feel of what the school is trying to do."

Eugene Dean, also from the trust, added: "We have an architect doing up some renderings. We would look to work with the existing structures and the idea is that we would integrate with the cultural and tourist community that's already established there."

Ms Bonne-Smith, who runs Bermuda International Languages and Arts Institute, said it was too early to give details of her idea.

"We are working on this sensitive information," she said. "It would be a graduate university village. It's nothing to do with the languages. This is a new concept, creating an international centre for graduate students."

It is understood that her facility would be aimed at students of risk management.