Agricultural Land Classification Survey Data: Detailed Site Maps and Reports 1989-1999

Natural England provides the Post 1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) detailed survey data for individual sites. The collection includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports for sites surveyed between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It features soil data and pit descriptions for some surveys, with maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the official grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil composition and quality trends based on unedited sample point soils data and pit descriptions.
• Map land use suitability for planning or environmental assessments using the detailed geospatial survey maps.
• Study historical land classification changes in England and Wales between 1989 and 1999.

Strengths

• Uses the current official Agricultural Land Classification grading methodology.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b for finer detail.
• Contains original survey materials like scanned maps and reports for individual sites.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the 1989-1999 survey period.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Natural England.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999, with results compiled into maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Last updated is unknown.

Geography

Individual survey sites in England and Wales, likely focused on areas like Bradwell.