ALCR18596: Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports

Natural England's Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Nursling, Bargain Farm site. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and detailed survey reports from detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It contains maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000 and may include unedited soil sample point data and pit descriptions.

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 mentioned in the description.
• Map land suitability for different agricultural uses based on the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Compare historical land classification from the 1989-1999 period with contemporary data for change detection.

Strengths

• Uses the current grading methodology as described in the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for more granular analysis.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, providing primary source material.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Map scales and level of detail vary from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, which may affect consistency.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (survey), Natural England (copyright holder).

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys, soil sampling, and mapping.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data collection occurred between 1989 and 1999; last update date is unknown.

Geography

Nursling, Bargain Farm (Test Valley BLP Sites 111 & 112), England.