Agricultural Land Classification detailed Post 1988 survey ALCR08197

England and Wales land classification data from the Brookwood (Woking) site survey. Scanned original paper maps and reports detail agricultural land grades for sites surveyed between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes soil point data and pit descriptions for some surveys, using the grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and variability using the unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.
• Map land quality for planning and development assessments based on the scanned original maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.
• Compare subgrades within agricultural land Grade 3 (3a and 3b) for detailed land evaluation.

Strengths

• Original survey data from a government ministry (MAFF) provides authoritative land classification.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for more granular analysis.
• Some surveys include unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), published via Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999, with results captured in original paper maps and reports that were later scanned.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data covers the period 1989-1999; last platform update is unknown.

Geography

Brookwood (Woking) area in England and Wales.