Langley, Green Lane: Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification Survey

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) site survey data for the Langley, Green Lane site. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports from detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It provides land grading according to the official methodology, with some surveys including unedited soil sample point data and pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the official grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and limitations for specific sites using the available soil pit descriptions and sample point data.
• Map land quality subdivisions, such as Grade 3a and 3b, for regional agricultural planning.
• Integrate historical land classification data with modern geospatial datasets for longitudinal land use studies.

Strengths

• Original survey data from a government ministry (MAFF) collected between 1989 and 1999.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b for more granular analysis.
• Provides both scanned maps (at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) and detailed survey reports.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data is derived from scanned paper maps and reports, which may require digitization for modern GIS workflows.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys involving soil analysis and mapping, following the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Historical data from 1989-1999; update frequency unknown.

Geography

Specific to the Langley, Green Lane site in Maidstone, England.