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

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) site survey data collected between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports for individual sites, with mapping scales ranging from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000. Some surveys also contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze historical soil quality and land use patterns based on soil pit descriptions and sample point data.
• Integrate detailed land classification maps into GIS systems for spatial planning, given the varying mapping scales.
• Study the subdivision of Grade 3 agricultural land into subgrades 3a and 3b for more granular analysis.

Strengths

• Data collection follows the established 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail.
• Some surveys contain 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 is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; published via Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with original paper maps and reports, later scanned.

Time Range

1989-1999

Freshness

Data collected between 1989 and 1999; last update unknown.

Geography

England and Wales (specific site: Earl Shilton, South Of Thurlaston Lane)