Resource Planning Team RPT Job Number: 0301/043/99

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1 AI Bukinghamshire Struture Plan Review LAN SOUTH OF WINSLOW Agriultural Land lassifiation AL Map and Report June 1999 Resoure Planning Team RPT Job Number: 1//99 Eastern Region MAFF Referene: EL/6 FRA Reading

2 INTROUTION AGRIULTURAL LAN LASSIFIATION REPORT BUKINGHAMSHIRE STRUTURE PLAN REVIEW LAN SOUTH OF W^INSLOW This report presents the findings of a detailed Agriultural Land lassifiation (AL) survey of approximately 1 ha of land to the east of Granborough Road on the souihem edge of Winslow, Bukinghamshire. The survey was arried out during June The survey was undertaken by the Farming and Rural onservation Ageny (FRA)^ on behalf of the Ministry of Agriulture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). The survey was arried oul in onnetion wilh MAFF's statutory input lo the Bukinghamshire Struture Plan Review. Information from land adjaent to the presenl sile was used in the grading (FRA Ref. 1/11/96). This survey supersedes any previous AL informalion for this site. The work was onduted by members of the Resoure Planning Team in the Eastem Region of FRA. The land has been graded in aordane with the published MAFF AL guidelines and riteria (MAFF, 1988). A desription of the AL grades and subgrades is given in Appendix I. At Ihe time of survey the land use on the site was predominantly permanent grassland, wilh ley grassland in the soulh. The areas mapped as 'Other land' inlude areas of woodland, publi rights of way, garage storage areas and a former lay pil. The latter may have some oasional grazing. SUMMAR The findings of the survey are shown on the enlosed AL map. The map has been drawn at a sale of 1:1,. It is aurate at this sale but any enlargement would be misleading. The area and proportions of the AL grades and subgrades on the surveyed land are summarised in Table 1. Table 1: Area of grades and other land Grade/Other land Area (hetares) % surveyed area % site area a b Other land N/A Total surveyed area Total site area ' FRA is an exeutive ageny of MAFF and the Welsh Offie

3 7. The fieldwork was onduted at an average density of 1 boring per hetare of agriullural land. A total of 1 borings was desribed. 8. The land has been lassified as Subgrade a (good quality agriultural land) and Subgrade b (moderate quality). The prinipal limilation aross the site is soil wetness. The Subgrade a soils typially omprise medium lay loam topsoils overlying heavy lay loam upper subsoils passing to lay lower subsoils. The lay subsoils signifiantly restrit drainage of water through the profile ausing the wetness limitation. The Subgrade b soils typially omprise heavier topsoils (heavy lay loams) lying diretly over lay subsoils, hene the wetness limitation is more severe. As a result, land suh as this will have a restrition on the number of days in whih agriullural operations an be arried out. In addition, the level and onsisteny of yields may be adversely affeted. FATORS INFLUENING AL GRAE limate 9. limate affets the grading of land through the assessment of an overall limari limilation and also through interations with soil harateristis. 1. The key limati variables used for grading this sile are given in Table and were obtained from the published 5km grid datasels using the standard interpolation proedures (Met. Offie, 1989). Table : limati and altitude data Fator Grid referene Altitude Aumulated Temperature Average Annual Rainfall Field apaity ays Moisture efiit, Wheal Moisture efiit, Potatoes Overall limati grade Units N/A m, AO day (Jan-June) mm days mm mm N/A Values SP Grade The limati riteria are onsidered first when lassifying land as limate an be overriding in the sense that severe limitations will restrit land to low grades irrespetive of favourable sile or soil onditions. 1. The main parameters used in the assessment of an overall limari limitaiion are average annual rainfall (AAR), as a measure of overall wetness, and aumulated temperature (ATO, January to June), as a measure of the relative warmth of a loality. 1. The ombination of rainfall and temperature at this site mean that there is no overall limati limitation. Loal fators suh as exposure and frost risk are also not believed to be signifiant. The sile is limatially Grade 1.

4 Site 1. The sile lies in the range 9-15m. The land in the extreme south is flat-lying; elsewhere il slopes gently to the soulh. Nowhere do mirorelief or flood risk affet the land quality. Geology and soils 15. There is no reent geologial informalion for this area. The 186 map indiates Oxford lay as the most likely underlying geology, though it may be ompliated by deposits of boulder lay. 16. The most reent published soils information (SSEW, 198) shows the site to ompose of two soil assoiations. The predominant soil assoiation is enhworth. These soils are desribed as 'Slowly permeable seasonally waleriogged soils with similar fine loamy over layey soils. Some fine loamy over layey soils with only slight seasonal waterlogging and some slowly permeable alareous layey soils' (SSEW, 198). In the north of the site, soils of the Ashley Assoiation are mapped. These are desribed as 'Fine loamy over layey soils with slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal waterlogging assoiated with similar but wetter soils' (SSEW, 198). etailed survey work found soils similar to those desribed here. AGRIULTURAL LAN LASSIFIATION 17. The details of the lassifialion of the site are shown on the attahed AL map and the area statistis of eah grade are given in Table The loation of the auger borings is shown on the attahed sample loation map and the details of the soils data are presented in Appendix II. Subgrade a 19. The higher land in the north of the sile has been plaed in this grade, linking in with Subgrade a land on the adjaent sile to the east. Soils typially omprise medium lay loam lopsoils over heavy lay loam upper subsoils, passing to lay lower subsoils. There was evidene from the borings of soil wetness, in the form of gleying above m. Using information from pit IP (FRA Ref. 1/11/96), the lay lower subsoils were shown to be slowly permeable and impart a restririon on the downward movement of water through the profile. As suh, these soils are imperferiy drained (Wetness lass III) whih, in ombination with prevailing field apaity days (1 days) and topsoil texlure, means a lassifiation of Subgrade a is appropriate. The wetness limitation will restrit the number of days when soil is in a suitable ondition for ultivation, traffiking by mahinery or grazing by livestok. In addiiion, the level and onsisteny of yields will be affeted. Subgrade b. Land in this subgrade typially lies on the lower land aross the site, linking wilh Subgrade b land on the adjaent sile to the west. Soils in this unit typially omprise gleyed heavy lay loam lopsoils lying diretly over gleyed, slowly permeable lay subsoils, similar to pit P (FRA Ref. 1/11/96). Sine the wetness limitation in these soils is more

5 severe. Wetness lass IV is appropriate. In ombinarion with the loal limate and topsoil textures, the soils are plaed in Subgrade b. The wetness limitation on this land will have a greater impat on aess and yields than land in the Subgrade a unit. Andrew Barton and Edgar Blak Resoure Planning Team Easlem Region FRA Reading

6 SOURES OF REFERENE British Geologial Survey (186) Sheet No.6NW GSGB, London. Ministry of Agriulture, Fisheries and Food (1988) Agriultural Land lassifiation ofengland and Wales: Revised guidelines and riteria for grading the quality of agriultural land. MAFF: London. Mel. Offie (1989) Umatologial ata for Agriultural Land lassifiation. Met. Offie: Braknell. Soil Survey of England and Wales (198) Sheet 6 Soils of South East England. SSEW: Harpendea

7 APPENIX I ESRIPTIONS OF THE GRAES AN SUBGRAES Grade 1: Exellent Quality Agriultural Land Land with no or very minor limitations to agriultural use. A very wide range of agriullural and hortiultural rops an be grown and ommonly inludes lop fruit, soft fruit, salad rops and winter harvested vegetables. ields are high and less variable than on land of lower quality. Grade : Very Good Quality Agriultural Land Land with minor limitations whih affel rop yield, ultivations or harvesting. A wide range of agriullural or hortiultural rops an usually be grown bul on some land of this grade there may be redued flexibility due to diffiulties with the prodution of the more demanding rops suh as winter harvested vegetables and arable root rops. The level of yield is generally high bul may be lower or more variable than Grade 1 land. Grade : Good to Moderate Quality Land Land with moderate limilations whih affet the hoie of rops, the timing and type of ultivation, harvesting or the level of yield. When more demanding rops are grown, yields are generally lower or more variable than on land in Grades 1 and. Subgrade a: Good Quality Agriultural Land Land apable of onsistently produing moderate to high yields of a narrow range of arable rops, espeially ereals, or moderate yields of a wide range of rops inluding ereals, grass, oilseed rape, potaloes, sugar beet and the less demanding hortiultural rops. Subgrade b: Moderate Quality Agriultural Land Land apable of produing moderate yields of a narrow range of rops, prinipally ereals and grass, or lower yields of a wider range of rops or high yields of grass whih an be grazed or harvested over mosl of the year. Grade : Poor Quality Agriultural Land Land with severe limitations whih signifiantly restrit the range of rops and/or the level of yields. Il is mainly suited to grass with oasional arable rops (e.g. ereals and forage rops) the yields of whih are variable. In moist limates, yields of grass may be moderate to high bul there may be diffiulties in urilisation. The grade also inludes very droughty arable land. Grade 5: Very Poor Quality Agriultural Land Land with severe limilalions whih restrit use to permanent pasture or rough grazing, exept for oasional pioneer forage rops.

8 APPENIX II SOIL ATA ontents: Sample loation map Soil abbreviations - explanatory note Soil boring desriptions (boring and horizon levels)

9 SOIL PROFILE ESRIPTIONS: EXPLANATOR NOTE Soil pit and auger boring information olleted during AL fieldwork is held on a omputer database. abbreviations as set out below. This uses notations and Boring tteader Information 1. GRI REF: national 1 km grid square and 8 figure grid referene.. USE: Land use at the time of survey. The following abbreviations are used: ARA: ER: OSR: POT: LIN: PGR: SR: W: HTH: Arable ereals Oilseed rape Potatoes Linseed Permanent pasture Srub eiduous woodland Heathland WHT: OAT: BEN: SBT: FRT: LE: FW: BOG: HRT: Wheat Oals Field beans Sugar beet Soft and top fruit Ley grass oniferous woodland Bog or marsh Hortiultural rops BAR: MZE: BRA: F: FLW: RGR: OTH SAS: PLO: Barley Maize Brassiae Fodder rops Fallow Rough grazing Other Set-Aside Ploughed GRNT: Gradient as estimated or measured by a hand-held optial linometer. GLE/SPL: epth in entimetres (m) to gleying and/or slowly permeable layers. AP (WHEAT/POTS): rop-adjusted available water apaity. MB (WHEAT/POTS): Moisture Balane. (rop adjusted AP - rop adjusted M) RT: Best grade aording to soil droughtiness. If any of the following falors are onsidered signifiant, '' will be entered in the relevant olumn: MREL: EXP: HEM: Mirorelief limitaiion Exposure limilation hemial limitation FLOO: FROST: Flood risk Frosi prone EROSN: IST: Soil erosion risk isturbed land 9. LIMIT: The main limilation to land qualily. The following abbreviations are used: O: FR: FL: H: R: EX: Overall limate Frost Risk Flood Risk hemial rought Exposure AE: GR: TX: : ER: Aspet Gradient Topsoil Texture Wetness Erosion Risk ST: MR: P; WK: W: Topsoil Stoniness Mirorelief Soil epth Workability Soil Wemess/roughtiness Soil Pits and Auger Borings 1. TEXTURE: soil texture lasses are denoted by the following abbrevialions: S: SZL: ZL: S: P: PL: Sand Sandy Silt Loam Silt Loam Sandy lay Peat Peaty Loam LS: L: SL; Z: SP: PS: Loamy Sand lay Loam Sandy lay Loam Silty lay Sandy Peal Peaty Sand SL: ZL: : OL: LP: MZ: Sandy Loam Silty lay Loam lay Organi Loam Loamy Peat Marine Light Silts For the sand, loamy sand, sandy loam and sandy sill loam lasses, the predominant size of sand fration will be indiated by the use oflhe following prefixes: F: Fine (more than 66% of the sand less than.mm) M: Medium (less than 66% fine sand and less than % oarse sand) : oarse (more than % of the sand larger than,6mm) The lay loam and silty lay loam lasses will be sub-divided aording to the lay ontent: M: Medium (<7% lay) H: Heavy (7-5% lay). MOTTLE OL: Mottle olour using Munsell notation.

10 . MOTTLE ABUN: Motlie abundane, expressed as a perentage of the matrix or surfae desribed; F: few <% : ommon -% M: many -% VM: very many % -l-. MOTTLE ONT: Mottle ontrast: F: faint - indisiini mottles, evident only on lose inspetion : distint - molties are readily seen P: prominent - moltling is onspiuous and one of the outstanding feaiures of the horizon 5. PE. OL: Ped fae olour using Munsell notalion. 6. GLE: If the soil horizon is gleyed a '' will appear in this olumn. If slightly gleyed, an 'S' will appear. 7. STONE LITH: Stone Lithology - one of the following is used: HR: all hard roks and stones FSST: soft, fine grained sandsione ZR: sofl. argillaeous, or silty roks H: halk MSST: soft, medium grained sandsione GS: gravel with porous (sofl) siones SI: sofl weathered igneous/metamorphi rok GH: gravel with non-porous (hard) stones Stone ontents (>m, >6m and total) are given in perentages (by volume). 8. STRUT: the degree of development, size and shape of soil peds are desribed using the following noiation: egree of development WK: ST: weakly developed strongly developed M: moderalely developed Ped size F: : fine oarse M: medium Ped shape S: GR: SAB: PL: single grain granular sub-angular bloky platy M: AB: PR: massive angular bloky prismati 9. ONSIST: Soil onsistene is desribed using the following notation: L: loose FM: finn EH: exlremely hard VF: very friable VM; very firm FR: friable EM: extremely firm 1. SUBS STR: Subsoil strutural ondition reorded for the purpose of alulaling profile droughtiness; G: good M: moderate P: poor 11. POR: Soil porosily. If a soil horizon has less than.5% biopores >.5 mm. a '' will appear in this olumn. 1. IMP: If the profile is impenetrable to rooting a '' will appear in this olumn at the appropriate horizon. 1. SPL: Slowly penneable layer. If the soil horizon is slowly permeable a '' will appear in this olumn. 1. AL: Ifthe soi! horizon is alareous, a '' will appearin this olumn. 15. Other notations: APW: APP; MBW: MBP: available water apaily (in mm) adjusted for wheat available water apaity (in mm) adjusted for polatoes moisture balane, wheal moisture balane, potatoes

11 y*tf- -^v -P--^; "i^jl pt-ogram: AL1 LIST OF BORINGS HEAERS 17/6/99 BUKS SP:LAN S. WINSLOW page 1 ISAMPLE ASPET TNESS -WHEAT- -POTS- Ni. GRI REF USE GRNT GLE SPL LASS GRAE AP MB AP MB M.REL EROSN FROST HEM AL RT FLOO EXP IST LIMIT OMMENTS 1 5 SP7677 PGR SP7687 PGR SP7697 PGR SP7677 PGR SP76fln7 PGR S SW w m SEE IP 11/96 ITTO ITTO ino SEE P 11/ SP7697 PGR SP7677 PGR SP7687 PGR SP7697 PGR SP76671 PGR s SE s lie SEE IP 11/96 SEE P 11/96 SEE IP 11/96 SEE P 11/96 ITTO VI SP76771 PGR ITTO 1 SP76871 PGR SEEP 11/ i;j Tl SP7667 LE SP7677 LE SEE P 11/96 ITTO

12 program: ALOll OMPLETE LIST OF PROFILES 17/6/99 BUKS SPiLAN S. WINSLOW page 1 IsA^ MPLE EPTH TEXTURE OLOUR nuiilta OL ABUN STONES STRUa/ SUBS ONT OL. GLE > >6 LITH TOT ONSIST STR POR IMP SPL AL ML HL 1R 1R 55 1R58 1R5868 M v ML 1R S-Wi 1R58 1R58 1RW68 v HR FRIABLE ML 1R S6 1R58 1R58 1R568 HR HR ML HL 1R 1R R58 75R8 1R5868 M HL 1R R58 1R5868 lorsftfifl PLASTI Q SPL BORER ML HL 1R 1R 5 5 1R58 lorsftfis HR HL 1R 5 5 1R58 1R58 F PLASTI ML HL 1R 1R 5 56 OS 51 1R58 1R58 1R ML HL 1R 1R 5 5 1R HL 1R 5 5 1R58 1R5e na 1R 5 5 1R56 1RS HL 1R 5 5 1R58 1R HL 1R R58 1R5658 H

13 I I Ttjgram: ALOII OMPLETE LIST OF PROFILES 17/6/99 BUKS SP:LAN S. WINSLW page MOTTLES PE STONES STRUT/ SUBS L MPLE EPTH TEXTURE OLOUR OL ABUN ONT OL. GLE > >6 LITH TOT ONSIST STR POR IMP SPL AL 1 - Ha 1R lorsb F O O R5868 MO O O O P

Wooodside Lane-Kings Stanley. Agricultural Land Classification. September RPT Job Number; ^/98

Wooodside Lane-Kings Stanley. Agricultural Land Classification. September RPT Job Number; ^/98 Wooodside Lane-Kings Stanley Agricultural Land Classification September 1998,-1 - \ Resource Planning Team Bristol FRCA Westem Region 37 RPT Job Number; ^/98 FRCA File No: EL14/1506 WOODSIDE LANE, KINGS