ALCR06394: Detailed Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports

Membury survey data provides detailed Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) maps and reports for sites in England and Wales surveyed between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Original paper maps were scanned at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, and some surveys include unedited soil sample point data and pit descriptions. The data uses the grading methodology defined in the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.

Use Cases

• Assess agricultural land capability based on the detailed ALC grading system.
• Analyze soil quality variations using the unedited sample point soils data.
• Map land use suitability for planning using the scanned geospatial survey maps.
• Compare land classification subgrades, including Grade 3a and 3b subdivisions.

Strengths

• Survey data uses the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for finer analysis.
• Some surveys contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service

Collection Method

Scanned original paper maps and survey reports from detailed site surveys.

Time Range

1989-1999

Geography

England and Wales (specific site: Membury)