Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports for England and Wales (1989-1999)

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data from the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The collection includes scanned original paper maps and detailed survey reports for individual sites, with soil grades subdivided to subgrades 3a and 3b. Data covers sites surveyed between 1989 and 1999, with maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000 and some surveys containing unedited soil point data and pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on detailed soil survey reports and grading methodology.
• Analyze historical land quality for planning applications based on scanned original maps and site surveys.
• Model soil characteristics for specific sites using available unedited sample point and soil pit description data.

Strengths

• Uses the official grading methodology described in 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales'.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for more granular analysis.
• Contains original scanned maps and reports, preserving methodological detail.

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 (UK), Natural England, Ordnance Survey.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by government agencies, with results compiled into paper maps and reports later scanned.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data collection period is 1989-1999; update frequency is unknown.

Geography

England and Wales, with individual sites like Drighlington, Pitty Close Farm.