ALCR99791: Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification Survey for Matfield, Chestnut Lane

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Matfield, Chestnut Lane site, collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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 is provided by Natural England and uses the grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines.

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 soil pit descriptions.
• Map land quality at a local scale for planning purposes, leveraging the scanned maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.
• Study historical land use and soil survey practices from the late 20th century in England.

Strengths

• Includes detailed subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer granularity.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, preserving the primary survey record.
• Surveys were conducted at varying scales, from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, offering different levels of detail.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data collection occurred between 1989 and 1999; current land conditions may have changed.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; provided by Natural England.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys following the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-13 12:53:03.757085; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Matfield, Chestnut Lane, England, United Kingdom