Modern walls and buildings erected at the historic Casemate Barracks in Dockyard since 1960, when the building was used as a prison, should be pulled down.

That is the view of the Bermuda Maritime Museum executive director Edward Harris and the West End Development Corporation, which assumed responsibility for the complex in May.

Permission is being sought to remove the modern structures built since 1960 when the former British naval barracks was turned into a maximum security prison, a role it fulfilled until Westgate prison opened in 1994.

Explaining the reason for the request to remove all modern additions from the 19th century barracks, which were completed in the late 1830s and have Grade One historical building listing, Dr. Harris said: ?It is an outstanding structure and one of the finest surviving barracks blocks of the world-wide British naval bases.

?It is built of the very hard Bermuda limestone, which was excavated from the ground where the buildings of the main dockyard now stand.?

In 1951 the barracks were taken out of use only to be opened again in 1960 as a prison, when extra walls and buildings were constructed.

?For the last decade, the barracks and the outstanding buildings of the Upper and Lower Ordnance Yard were left to the elements and vandals, but the invasive effects of casuarina and other trees have caused the greatest damage,? said Dr. Harris.

After taking over responsibility for the barracks in May, Wedco has approved a project for the beginning phases of the restoration of area.

Dr. Harris explained: ?There are three main aspects of the project. The first is the removal of the invasive vegetation, which has largely been undertaken by volunteers, with some cash infusion from public-spirited members of the community.

?The second involves the removal of all the prison structures that have no historical value and the third is the archaeological recording of the heritage structures that have survived the elements and years of prison service.?

The new prison structures are without architectural or historical merit, according to Dr. Harris.

?They were built with expediency and are much decayed after a lack of maintenance. None of the additions can be said to have been monumental structures.

?The value of the Casemate Barracks and its attendant buildings of the Ordnance Yards is in their 130 years of usage as major components of the historic Bermuda dockyard.

?The main purpose of the project is to expose and record those components, thus indicating to the West End Development Corporation what is of importance in the complex and what must be retained in the future usage of the complex.?

If the Development Applications Board grants permission for the removal of the structures it is hoped the project will be completed early in 2007.

The Casemate Barracks at Dockyard. Permission is being sought to pull down buildings constructed between 1960 to 1994 leaving the historic 19th century structure as it once appeared.