Agricultural Land Classification detailed Post 1988 survey ALCL04495

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for sites like Kirklington and Upsland, collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between 1989 and 1999. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports, 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

• Classifying agricultural land capability based on the official grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyzing historical land quality changes based on detailed soil data and pit descriptions for specific sites.
• Integrating detailed land classification maps into GIS systems for regional planning, based on the scanned map data.
• Comparing subgrade classifications (3a and 3b) within Grade 3 agricultural land for specific survey areas.

Strengths

• Data is based on the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.
• Includes detailed subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, preserving the detail of the original surveys.

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 (MAFF), via Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by MAFF, with results captured in paper maps and reports that were later scanned.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

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

Geography

Specific survey sites in England and Wales, such as Kirklington and Upsland.