Post-1988 agricultural land classification survey data from detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports, with some surveys providing unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions. It is provided by Natural England and contains Ordnance Survey data under Crown copyright.
Use Cases
- Map agricultural land quality grades based on the detailed survey methodology.
- Analyze soil characteristics for specific sites using the available sample point and soil pit data.
- Compare land classification at varying scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000 for regional planning.
- Study the subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b for detailed agricultural assessment.
Strengths
- Survey data uses the current grading methodology as described in the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.
- Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail.
- Individual sites were mapped at varying scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000, typically 1:10,000.
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 (survey), Natural England (provider)
- Collection Method
- Detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999, with data scanned from original paper maps and reports.
- Time Range
- 1989-1999
- Geography
- Great Ayton (Hambleton District Plan, Site 78 B), England