Agricultural Land Classification Survey: Billingshurst North East, 1989-1999

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Billingshurst North East site, produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps, survey reports, and unedited sample point soils data collected between 1989 and 1999. It uses the grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the detailed ALC grading system described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and quality using the unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.
• Map land suitability for farming at varying scales (from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) using the scanned original paper maps.
• Study historical land use and soil survey methodologies from the late 20th century.

Strengths

• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail.
• Contains multiple data types: scanned maps, survey reports, and unedited soils data for some surveys.
• Surveys were conducted using a defined national methodology ('Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales').

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 via Natural England and the Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys involving mapping and soil sampling, with results compiled into reports and maps.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

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

Geography

Billingshurst North East site, England