Land classification and designation

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Land classification and designation
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Why the need to classify?

• Identification
• Control
• Management
• Distribution of grant
• targeting of finance is often a reason for
  designation

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Designation

• Designation and Classification are
  interchangeable terms
• Designation can be the result of-
• Statutory obligations
• Voluntary agreements

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Principles of classification

• Clear objectives
• Summarise data
• Interpret data
• Application over wide area

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Evaluation process

• Direct
• Measurement by trial e.g. soil survey
• Indirect
• Interpretative process
• Often arise from direct evaluation of sample

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Classification systems

• Categoric systems
• Land placed in subjective categories
• Less Favoured Areas
• AONB
• Parametric systems
• Measurement determines criteria
• Objective 1,2,3 European Union

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Examples of classification

• National Geological Survey
• Soil Survey
• SSSI
• EU structural funds
• Less Favoured Area
• Green Belts
• Open Access

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National Geological Survey
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Protected sites - Wales
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EU structural funds
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Open access land
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Designations are numerous

• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
• Bat Roosts
• Biosphere Reserves
• Bird Sanctuaries
• Common land
• Community Forests
• Conservation Areas
• Country Parks
• Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA)
• Forest Parks
• Green Belts
• Groundwork Trust
• Heritage Coasts
• Less Favoured Areas (LFA)
• Local Nature Reserves
• Marine Nature Reserves
• National Forests
• National Nature Reserves

• National Park Direction Areas
• National Parks
• National Scenic Areas
• National Trust Projects
• Nitrogen Sensitive Areas (NSA)
• Pocket Parks
• RSPB Reserves
• Ramsar Sites
• Regional Parks
• Royal Parks
• Scheduled Ancient Monuments
• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• Special Protection Areas
• Tir Gofal
• Village Greens
• Wildfowl Refuges
• Wildlife Trust Reserves
• Woodland Trust Reserves
• World Heritage Sites

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Case study agricultural land classification

• MAFF / ADAS 1967 1974
• New DEFRA study underway 2003-

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Objectives

• Suitable for advising on the use of agricultural
  land for development
• Applied consistently to different parts of the
  country
• Readily understandable to non-agricultural users
• Objective and uncomplicated

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It is used by..

• DEFRA and others to give advice to local
  planning authorities, developers and the public
  if development is proposed on agricultural land
  or other greenfield sites that could grow
  crops.
• The ALC grading system is also used by
  commercial consultants to advise clients on land
  uses and planning issues.
• DEFRA 2003

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Implications

• Planning permission
• Houses
• Stables
• Value of land
• Grade 1 expensive
• Grade 5 cheap
• Paddocks

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Land grading
Grade 1
Grade 5
Poor
Excellent
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Criteria for grading

• SOIL
• Depth, drainage, stoniness, texture, structure,
  chemical properties which cannot be corrected.
• CLIMATE
• Temperature and rainfall aspect, exposure and
  frost risk
• SITE
• Slope, altitude, gradient, microrelief and flood
  risk

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Criteria for grading

• Suitability for agricultural production assuming
  a good but not outstanding level of management

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Physical limitations affect.

• The range of crops which can be grown
• The level of yield
• The consistency of yield
• The cost of obtaining the crop

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Grade 1

• Excellent quality
• No or very minor limitations
• Wide range of crops
• Consistently high yields

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Grade 2

• Very good quality
• Minor limitations that affect yield, cultivation
  and harvesting
• Wide range of crops but reduced flexibility
• More variable yield

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Grade 3

• Good to moderate
• 3a good crops
• 3b moderate more grassland
• Moderate limitations affect choice of crop,
  timing and type of cultivation, harvesting
• Yield less than grade 1 2
• More variable yield

good
moderate
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Grade 4

• Poor quality
• Severe limitations
• Grass with occasional crop
• Grass yields moderate to high utilization
  difficulties
• Includes droughty arable land

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Grade 5

• Very poor quality
• Severe limitations permanent pasture, rough
  grazing only
• Occasional pioneer forage crops

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Other grades

• Urban
• Non agricultural land
• Woodland
• Agricultural buildings
• Open water
• Land not surveyed

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Land grade distribution
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Agricultural land classification distribution
North West England
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Agricultural land classification distribution
North East England
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Agricultural land classification distribution
Yorkshire and Humber
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Agricultural land classification distribution
East Midlands
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Agricultural land classification distribution
East Anglia
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Agricultural land classification distribution
South East England
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Agricultural land classification distribution
South West England
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Agricultural land classification distribution
West Midlands
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Agricultural land classification distribution
Wales
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Criticisms

• Only accurate for blocks of land gt 80ha
• 50 of land is Grade 3
• Boundaries merge and are not sharply defined
• Not detailed enough on a field basis but work in
  progress