Post 1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) site survey data includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports for individual sites surveyed in detail between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Surveys use the grading methodology described in "Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales" and map sites at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000. Unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions are also available for some surveys.
Use Cases
- Analyze historical agricultural land quality based on the detailed land classification grades.
- Map soil characteristics and land suitability based on the available soil pit descriptions and sample point data.
- Study land-use changes over time based on the detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999.
Strengths
- Survey data uses the current grading methodology as described in the official "Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales" document.
- Includes subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b for more granular analysis.
- Original maps and reports are scanned, preserving the detail of surveys conducted at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.
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
- Government Digital Service
- Collection Method
- Scanned original paper maps and survey reports from detailed site surveys.
- Time Range
- 1989-1999
- Geography
- Individual sites in England and Wales, likely including the Bagley (Leeds UDP Topic 698) survey area.