ALCC03190: Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports

Natural England's Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) detailed survey data for the 'Four Wentways' site. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports from detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It features soil grade mapping, including the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b, and may contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classifying agricultural land capability based on the grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyzing historical soil quality and land use patterns based on mapped soil grades and subgrades.
• Integrating detailed site survey data with broader land-use planning models based on the geospatial maps.
• Studying soil composition and characteristics based on available soil pit descriptions and sample point data.

Strengths

• Data is based on detailed site surveys conducted by a government ministry (MAFF) between 1989 and 1999.
• Surveys use a defined grading methodology as described in the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into more detailed subgrades 3a and 3b.
• May contain supplementary unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions for some surveys.

Limitations

• Row count, column names, and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Maps were created at varying scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, indicating potential inconsistency in detail.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), with copyright held by Natural England and Ordnance Survey.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys producing scanned original paper maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data collection occurred between 1989 and 1999; last update date is unknown.

Geography

Survey site 'Four Wentways'; specific location not detailed but likely in England or Wales.