Agricultural Land Classification Survey: Groby Site, 1989-1999

England and Wales land classification data from the Groby site survey conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps, survey reports, and for some surveys, unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions. It is provided by Natural England and contains Ordnance Survey data.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land quality based on the official grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and variability using the unedited sample point soils data and pit descriptions.
• Map land use suitability for planning purposes based on the detailed site survey maps and subdivision of Grade 3 land.
• Train geospatial models for land classification using the scanned map data at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.

Strengths

• Uses the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology, ensuring standardized grading.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail for moderate quality land.
• Contains original survey materials like scanned maps and reports, preserving primary data sources.

Limitations

• Row count, column definitions, and file formats are unknown, which limits suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data may reflect temporal bias inherent to the 1989-1999 survey period.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Natural England; Ordnance Survey.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil sampling, mapping, and report generation.

Time Range

1989-1999

Freshness

Survey data covers 1989-1999; last update date is unknown.

Geography

Groby site, likely within the Hinkley and Bosworth area, England and Wales.