ALCR08397: Detailed Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data collected between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It consists of scanned original paper maps and survey reports for individual sites, with soil grading following the methodology described in 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales'. The data includes unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions for some surveys.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil quality variations using the unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.
• Map land use suitability for planning or environmental impact assessments based on the geospatial survey data.
• Study historical land classification changes in England and Wales based on surveys from the 1989-1999 period.

Strengths

• Original survey data collected by a government ministry (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food).
• Includes detailed subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Provides unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions for some surveys.

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

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (UK), Natural England, Ordnance Survey

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with results captured in paper maps and reports later scanned.

Time Range

1989-1999

Geography

England and Wales, specifically the Broughton (Milton Keynes LP PDA 2) site