Agricultural Land Classification Survey for Norwich Area, 1989-1999

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Norwich, Lodge Farm area, collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between 1989 and 1999. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps, survey reports, and for some surveys, unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions. It uses the grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication and maps land grades, including the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b.

Use Cases

• Classifying land suitability for agricultural use based on the detailed grading methodology described.
• Analyzing historical land quality changes for a specific region based on the 1989-1999 survey period.
• Integrating soil pit descriptions and point data for detailed soil property analysis where available.
• Supporting local planning decisions by referencing the original, detailed survey maps and reports.

Strengths

• Data collection follows a defined national methodology described in 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales'.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 land into more detailed subgrades 3a and 3b.
• For some surveys, provides unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions for granular analysis.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; data provided via Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys involving mapping and soil analysis, with results compiled into reports and maps.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data collection period is 1989-1999; last update status is unknown.

Geography

Norwich, Lodge Farm area (Norwich Area Local Plan), England