Agricultural Land Classification: Detailed Site Surveys 1989-1999

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for England and Wales, collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and reports for individual sites surveyed in detail between 1989 and 1999, with soil data and pit descriptions available for some surveys. It 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 pit descriptions.
• Map land quality at varying scales (from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) for regional planning and development assessments.
• Study the subdivision of Grade 3 agricultural land into subgrades 3a and 3b for more precise land evaluation.

Strengths

• Data collection follows the established 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 land into more precise subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, providing primary source material.
• Some surveys include unedited sample point soils data and detailed soil pit descriptions.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil analysis, mapped at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data covers surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999; update status for the digital collection is unknown.

Geography

England and Wales, with specific sites like Stannington and Morpeth mentioned.