Terrafirma: Coastal Hazards

Episode 1 – Coastal Hazards

Mon, 7 September 2020

11:00 – 11:30 BST

Coastal erosion is a natural and continual process that has occurred for many millions of years and shapes the coastline we see today. Property and land by the coast is highly sought-after but, with large stretches of the British coast eroding at an alarming rate, the risk posed by coastal erosion needs an urgent review and some argue that, without action, could cost the UK economy £12 billion a year by 2050.

Coastal risks are increasing. As a sign of things to come for coastal locations considered too difficult to protect, the coastal town of Fairbourne became the first British town to be ‘decommissioned’. The decision, greenlit by the Welsh Government in 2014, has hit residents hard sending property prices in the town crashing, with many losing their livelihoods and life savings overnight.

In this 20-minute episode, geologist and founder of Terrafirma Tom Backhouse will take you through the basic principles of coastal erosion, how and where this natural process represents a risk to UK property and land and enable you to come away with a better understanding of this problematic hazard.

About the presenter

Tom Backhouse is an award-winning geologist and entrepreneur, who has founded and successfully grown Terrafirma since 2015. Tom has co-authored best practice guidance in the legal, property and construction sectors and lobbies within regulatory bodies to change the way professionals identify and manage ground risks. Tom is a passionate communicator of the value of GeoScience in our society and has featured across public media as the face of ground hazard documentaries on Channel 5 and the BBC.