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 [1] and some argue that, without action, could cost the UK economy £12 billion [2] a year by 2050.
Coastal risks are increasing. [3] 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 [4] 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 [5] 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.