ALCR02098: Detailed Agricultural Land Classification Survey for Milton Keynes, 1989-1999

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Milton Keynes Brickfields area, 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 under Crown copyright.

Use Cases

• Classifying land capability for agriculture based on the detailed ALC grading methodology.
• Analyzing soil quality variations using the available unedited sample point soils data.
• Mapping historical agricultural land grades, including the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Studying land use change by comparing historical ALC surveys with contemporary data.

Strengths

• Uses the established grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.
• Includes detailed subdivisions within Grade 3 (subgrades 3a and 3b) for finer analysis.
• Contains original survey materials like scanned maps and reports, providing primary source data.

Limitations

• Row count and column definitions are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data is derived from paper maps scanned at varying scales (1:5,000 to 1:50,000), which may affect consistency.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (survey), Natural England and Ordnance Survey (data provision).

Collection Method

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

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data is from 1989-1999; last update date for the digital record is unknown.

Geography

Milton Keynes, England, specifically the Brickfields area (Area 6).