The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) has ordered that the clean-up operation of the sand used for a film shoot in the coastal nature park of Dwejra must continue without the use of any mechanical equipment.

Although Mepa has said that it issued the order on Monday 25 October, it only issued a statement on the matter yesterday, five days after heavy machinery was reportedly being used to clean up the sand deposited in the area.

Three days ago sister newspaper The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that the presence of heavy machinery on the sensitive site raised fears over possible damage to the fossil remains in the area.

Mepa said it had issued a permit to the producers of the HBO series Game of Thrones for filming in Dwejra and various natural and cultural heritage sites in Malta and Gozo.

Well aware that construction sand was going to be used for the film shoot in Dwejra, Mepa issued a permit on 9 September and included a number of conditions. 

Among other things, the production agency was obliged to take precautions to prevent damage to cultural and natural heritage, “including the environment in its broadest sense and protected sites of areas”.

During a media briefing at the Mepa premises yesterday evening, director of environment Martin Seychell and director of planning Chris Borg explained that the least sensitive site in Dwejra was chosen for the film shoot.

The film shoot included the use of a large amount of sand which, according to the Mepa conditions, was meant to be placed on an impermeable membrane.

But the sub-contractor that the producer commissioned used a kind of plastic mesh instead.

Mr Seychell said the problem would not have arisen if an impermeable membrane had been used. 

The sand solidified after the heavy rain, and shovels, mechanical tools and heavy machinery were used to start removing it.

Mepa said the film producers laid the sand and started removing it without warning, but when Mepa became aware of the situation on 25 October, it immediately ordered the producers to stop using mechanical equipment.

In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, the production company, Fire & Blood Productions, apologised for any unnecessary distress caused by the clean-up procedure.

The company had hired a sub-contractor who did not adhere to certain conditions of the clean-up procedure.  “The production company has enlisted a local supervised team with the manual clean-up of the area in accordance with Mepa’s regulations.

“The production company regrets the unfortunate incident, and is committed to continuing their positive experience of filming in Malta with the respect the island’s cultural and natural heritage merits.”

The environmental NGOs Nature Trust (Malta), Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Din l-Art Helwa, the Ramblers Association, BirdLife Malta and Friends of the Earth Malta said on Monday that they were shocked that tonnes of sand were deposited onto the rock face of the protected Natura 2000 site.

They said it was appalling that a film shoot of the sort was allowed to take place on such a sensitive site, which is rich in Scutella fossil beds and fossilised burrows that form part of the ‘core zone’ – the most important part of the protected area in the Qawra/Dwejra Heritage Park Action Plan.

According to the Dwejra Heritage Park Action Plan no cars are allowed to enter or park on the site; but trucks and bulldozers were allowed to enter the site to start cleaning up the sand last week.

The NGOs said that after the heavy rain a lot of sand ended up in the sea, but Mepa said this did not seem to be the case from its assessment of the situation.

Mepa said it sent environment monitors to Dwejra yesterday to ensure that the removal of the sand was carried out without causing any damage to the rock surface.

Although Mepa said there does not seem to be much damage, it will be thoroughly assessing the environmental impact once the manual clearance operation is completed.

Following this assessment, Mepa will use the €15,000 bank guarantee imposed in the permit and/or hold the film producer liable for any further environmental damage.

Mepa explained that the bank guarantee, which can be called on demand in part or in full, must be topped up at all times.

The permit also covered film shoots at other natural and cultural heritage sites, which Mepa is monitoring simultaneously. The authority said no damage has been reported on any other site to date.

Mepa stressed that while it issues a number of permits for filming to be carried out at cultural and natural sites, it always imposes stringent conditions to prevent any foreseeable damage to these sites.

“It is clear that it is incumbent on the film producer to scrupulously abide by these permit conditions. In this case the relevant conditions were not fully observed and the authority will be holding the film producer responsible for any damage that might have occurred.”