School Member lecture: the Slapton Sands gravel barrier system - a classic case study for physical geography

The Slapton Sands barrier system in Start Bay, with its associated back-barrier lagoon Slapton Ley, is an iconic coastal landscape feature.

The system is of significant importance from a socio-economic and biodiversity, with the gravel barrier providing protection from flooding as well as from saline intrusion of the freshwater Ley. The barrier system is also highly dynamic and the combination of sea-level rise, longshore redistribution of sediment and direct storm impacts has led to a number of very damaging impacts and costly interventions over the past 25 years.

The January/February 2026 storms have led to the partial collapse of the seawall protecting the village of Torcross and the main road running across the barrier. Serious questions now need to be asked whether it is sensible to repair the damage or instigate managed retreat.

Professor Masselink has studied the processes along the Slapton Sands barrier since 2004 and has gained a deep understanding of the processes governing its dynamics. Using a combination of observational data and numerical modelling, Professor Masselink will provide a state-of-the art overview of this research.

About the speaker

Gerd Masselink is currently a Professor in Coastal Geomorphology at the University of Plymouth. He did his MSc degree in Physical Geography at Utrecht University (the Netherlands) from 1984 to 1990, and completed his PhD in Marine Science at Sydney University (Australia) in 1994. After a four-year postdoc at the University of Western Australia, he started as a Lecturer at Loughborough University (UK) in 1998.

Since 2005, he has been working at Plymouth University, first in the School of Geography, then in the School of Marine Science and Engineering, and currently in the School of Biological and Marine Sciences. Gerd specialises in coastal morphodynamics, with a specific interest in the impact of extreme storms and sea-level rise on sandy and gravel beaches.

He leads the Coastal Processes Research Group (CPRG), is the founding Director of the Coastal and Marine Applied Research consultancy (CMAR) and is also the Director of the Centre for Coastal and Ocean Processes and Engineering (C-COPE).

He has published over 180 peer-reviewed scientific articles and has been (or is) an Investigator on 20 UK research council funded projects, all involving shoreline dynamics and nearshore sediment transport processes. He has been (or is) involved with supervision of 36 coastal PhD students.

Booking information

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• School Members will be provided with a code to book this event via our regular email updates.
• If you are a School Member and require this code to book your free places, please email Claire at c.brown@rgs.org
• This lecture is aimed at A level students. Students can attend with or without a teacher. There is no limit on the number of tickets each School Member can book. Tickets must be booked in advance.

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• Step-free access to the event
• Accessible toilets
• Assistance dogs are welcome
• Hearing loop

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