Agricultural Land Classification: Detailed Site Surveys from 1989-1999

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for individual sites in England and Wales, collected 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 capability based on the grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and limitations for specific sites using the available point soils data and pit descriptions.
• Map historical land quality at varying scales (from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) for regional planning studies.
• Subdivide Grade 3 agricultural land into subgrades 3a and 3b for more detailed land assessment.

Strengths

• Uses the current grading methodology as described in the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail.
• Contains original survey materials like scanned maps and reports for individual sites.

Limitations

• Row count, column definitions, and file formats are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• The level of detail and mapping scale varies by site, which may affect consistency.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Natural England.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by government surveyors, with results recorded on paper maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

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

Geography

Individual sites in England and Wales (specific site: Bletchley, Land at Bow Brick Hill).