Sandway Agricultural Land Classification Survey: Detailed Soil Maps and Reports, 1989-1999

Detailed Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Sandway site in Maidstone, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between 1989 and 1999. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports, with land graded according to the methodology described in 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales.' Some surveys also contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classify land capability for agriculture based on detailed soil survey reports.
• Analyze spatial patterns of soil quality grades, including subgrades 3a and 3b, using scanned maps.
• Integrate historical soil pit descriptions and point data for environmental impact assessments.

Strengths

• Uses the official grading methodology from 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales'.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b for finer detail.
• Contains original survey materials like scanned maps and reports for a specific site.

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; data provided by Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys involving soil mapping and analysis, with results recorded on paper maps and in reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data collected between 1989 and 1999; update status unknown.

Geography

Sandway (Maidstone LP Site 66), England, United Kingdom