Agricultural Land Classification: Detailed Site Surveys for England and Wales (1989-1999)

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for sites like Ashby De La Zouch, Money Hill North. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and reports from detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It uses the grading methodology from 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' and may contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions for some surveys.

Use Cases

• Classifying agricultural land capability based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyzing soil characteristics and variability using the unedited sample point soils data and pit descriptions mentioned.
• Mapping land quality for planning purposes based on the scanned original maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.
• Training models to predict land suitability using historical survey data and the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b.

Strengths

• Based on a defined grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.
• Includes detailed site surveys conducted over a 10-year period (1989-1999).
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, preserving the primary survey detail.
• Some surveys include unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), aggregated by Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil analysis, mapping, and reporting.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data is historical, collected between 1989 and 1999.

Geography

England and Wales, with specific sites like Ashby De La Zouch, Money Hill North.