Agricultural Land Classification Survey for Funtington, East (West Sussex), 1989-1999

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Funtington, East site in West Sussex, surveyed in detail between 1989 and 1999. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps, survey reports, and for some surveys, unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions. It was produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food using the grading methodology described in "Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales."

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and variability using the unedited sample point soils data and pit descriptions.
• Map land quality for planning and development decisions based on the scanned geospatial maps.
• Study historical land use and soil survey practices from the late 20th century in West Sussex.

Strengths

• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, preserving the primary survey data.
• Surveys were conducted at detailed scales, typically 1:10,000, ranging from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by MAFF, with data comprising scanned original paper maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data is from 1989-1999; last update date for the digital record is unknown.

Geography

Funtington, East (West Sussex Minerals Site 38), England.