Agricultural Land Classification detailed Post 1988 survey ALCR17193

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

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and quality using the available unedited sample point soils data and pit descriptions.
• Map land use suitability at varying scales (from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) for regional planning and environmental impact assessments.
• Study historical land classification patterns and changes for sites surveyed between 1989 and 1999.

Strengths

• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing more granular detail.
• Original survey materials such as scanned paper maps and reports are available, preserving methodological context.
• Some surveys include unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file size are 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 compiled into maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Geography

Individual survey sites in England and Wales, specifically including Arborfield, Bridge Farm (Berkshire Minerals Plan Opportunity Site 14B).