H;irt District RepLicerneiif Local Phin L;ind nt Hook House Farm, Hook, fiainpsliire Agncultural Land Oassification ALC Map and Report November 1995

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1 Al H;irt Distrit RepLierneiif Loal hin L;ind nt Hook House Farm, Hook, fiainpsliire Agnultural Land Oassifiation ALC Map and Report November 99 I Resoure lanning Teaaj Guildford Statutoiy Group ADAS Reading ADAS Referene: 6/6/9 LUU Conimissionr 7

2 AGRICULTURAL LAND CLASSIFICATION REORT HART DISTRICT RELACEMENT LOCAL LAN LAND AT HOOK HOUSE FARM, HOOK, HAMSHIRE. Introdution. This report presents the findings ofa detailed Agriultural Land Classifiation (ALC) survey of. hetares of land to the east of Hook in Hampshire. The survey was arried out during November 99.. The survey was ommissioned by the Ministry of Agriulture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) from its Land Use lanning Unit in Reading in onnetion with the Hart Distrit Replaement Loal lan. The results of this survey supersede any previous ALC information for this land.. The work was onduted by members ofthe Resoure lanning Team in the Guildford Statutory Group of ADAS. The land has been graded in aordane with the published MAFF ALC guidelines and ritena (MAFF, 988). A desription ofthe ALC grades and subgrades is given in Appendix I.. At the time of survey the agriultural land use inluded permanent grass and set-aside. The areas shown as Other Land inluded a hotel, dwellings and a garden emre. Summary. The fmdings ofthe survey are shown on the enlosed ALC map. The map has been drawn at a sale of :. It is aurate at this sale, but any enlargement would be misleading. 6. The area and proportions of the ALC grades and subgrades on the surveyed land are summarised in Table overleaf 7. The fieldwork was onduted at an average density of approximately boring per hetare. A total of 8 borings and one soil pit were desribed. 8. The agriultural land at this site has been lassified as Subgrade a (good quality) and Subgrade b (moderate quality). The prinipal limitation to land quality is soil wetness. Medium lay loam topsoils overlie siowly permeable heavy lay loams and lays at shallow and moderate depths in the profile. These horizons ause drainage to be impeded suh that land utilisation is restrited. The depth at whih these horizons our determines the severity ofthe soil wetness restritions and therefore the ALC grade.

3 Table I: Area of grades and other land Grade/Other land Area (hetares) % sun\d area % agriultural area a b Other Land Total Agriultural Area Total Site area Climate' 9. Climate affets the grading of land through the assessment of an overall Hmati limitation and also through interations with soil harateristis.. The key limati variables used for grading this site are given in Table and were obtained from the published kni grid datasets using standard interpolation proedures (Met. Offie, 989). Table : Climati and auitude data Fator Units Values Values Values Grid referene N/A SU 79 Ahitude m, AOD 6 Aumulated Temperature day C 6 Average Annual Rainfall mm 696 Field Capaity Days days 8 Moisture Defiit, heat mm 8 Moisture Defiit, otatoes mm [ SU SU 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 site or soil onditions.. The main parameters used in the assessment of an overall limati limitation are average annual rainfall (AAR), as a measure of overall wetness, and aumulated temperature (ATO, January to June), as a measure ofthe relative warmth ofa loality.. The ombination of rainfall and temperature at this site mean that there is no overall limati limitation. Loal limati fators suh as exposure and frost risk are also believed not lo affet the site. The site is limatially Grade.

4 Site. The site lies at an altitude in the range of 6-78 m AOD. The land is in the form ofa shallow valley whih ains from south west to north east. Land rises to the north west and south east from the entre of the site. Nowhere on the site does gradient, mirorelief or flooding affet the agriuiturai land quality. Geology nnd soils. The published geologial information for the site (BGS, 98), shows it to be underiain by London Clay. 6. The most detailed published soils information for the site (SSE, 98 and 98) shows the site to omprise soils of the ikham Assoiation. These are desribed as 'slowly permeable seasonally waterlogged fine silty over layey and fine loamy over layey soils assoiated with similar layey soils, often with brown subsoils.' (SSE, 98). Soils of this broad type were found aross the site. Agriultural Land Classifiation 7. The details ofthe lassifiation ofthe site are shown on the attahed ALC map and the area statistis of eah grade are given in Table, page. 8. The loation ofthe auger borings and pits is shown on the attahed sample loation map and details ofthe soils data are presented in Appendix III. Subgiade a 9. Land of good quality has been mapped towards the west ofthe site, on slopes rising from the stream whih traverses the site. The prinipal limitation is soil wetness.. Soils in this area ommonly omprise a ver>' slightly stony (up to % v/v total flints) medium lay loam, oasionally medium silty lay loam topsoil, passing to a similarly stony, oasionally gleyed, medium lay loam upper subsoil. In the majority of ases this upper subsoil passes to a stoneless, gleyed and slowly permeable lay to depth. Oasionally, the upper subsoi! passes to a gleyed and slowly permeable heavy lay loam horizon whih lies over the lay, as found in the pit obser\'ation, Ip. The slowly permeable honzons have the effet of restriting water flow through the soil profile thus ausing drainage to be impeded. The depth at whih these horizons our in ombination with the loal limate leads to etness Class III being appropriately applied and subsequently Subgrade a given the medium workability status ofthe topsoil. Soil wetness affets plant growth and yield as well as restriting land utilisation in terms ofthe number of days when mahinery ultivations and grazing by livestok an our without ausing strutural damage to the soil. Siihgrale b. Land of moderate quality has been mapped over the majority ofthe site. The prinipal limitation to land quality is soil wetness.

5 . Soils in this area omprise a stoneless to very slightly stony (up to % v/v total flints), oasionally gleyed niedium lay loam topsoil. Commonly this passes to a similarly stony, gleyed medium lay loam or gleyed and slowly permeable heavy lay loam (see Ip) upper subsoil, whih overiies stoneless, oasionally moderately stony (up to % v/v total flints), slowly permeable lay. Oasionally the topsoil lies diretly over the gleyed and slowly permeable lay. The slowly permeable lay and heavy lay loam horizons restrit water flow through the soil profile so ausing drainage to be impeded to the extent that etness Class IV and Subgrade b has been appropriately applied to this land given the loal limate and the medium workability status ofthe topsoils. Soil wetness affets plant growth and yield as well as restriting land utilisation in terms ofthe number of days when mahinery ultivations and grazing by livestok an our withoui ausing strutural damage to the soil. M Larkin Resoure lanning Team ADAS Reading

6 SOURCES OF REFERENCE British Geologial Survey (98) Shl H, Basingstoke. Solid anj Drifl Edition. :. Sale. BGS: London. Ministry of Agriulture, Fisheries and Food (988) Agrinlitifal Land Classifiation of England atid ales: Revised guidelines and riteria for grading the qualily of agriultural land. M/\F: London. Mel. Offie (989) dimalologial Dala for Agriultural Land Classifiation. Met. Offie: Braknell. Soil Survey of England and ales (98).SV;/7.v ofsouth Easi England. : Sale. SSE: Harpenden. Soil Survey ofengland and ales (98).SV.'/7.v of Soulh East England. Bulletin No. J. SSE: Harpenden.

7 AENDIX I DESCRITIONS OF THE GRADES AND SUBGRADES Grade : 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 top fruit, sofl fruit, salad rops and winter harvested vegetables. ields are high and iess variable than on land of lower qualily. Grade : Very Good Quality Agriultural Land Land with minor limitations whih affet rop yield, ultivations or harvesting. A wide range of agriultural or hortiultural rops an usually be grown but on some land of this grade there may be redued flexibility due to diffiulties with tlie prodution oflhe more demanding rops suh as winter harvested vegetables and arable root rops. The level of yield is generally high but may be lower or more variable than Grade land. Grade : Good to Moderate Quality Land Land with moderate limitations whih affet tlie hoie of rops, the timing and type of ullivation, harvesting or the level of yield. hen more demanding rops are grown, yields are generally lower or more variable than on land in Grades and. Subgrade a: Good Qualily Agriultural Land Land apable of onsistently produing moderate to high yields of a narrow range of arable rops, espeially ereals, or moderate yields ofa wide range of rops inluding ereals, grass, oilseed rape, potatoes, sugar beet and the less demanding hortiultural rops. Subgrade b: Moderate Qualily Agriullural Land Land apable of produing moderate yields ofa narrow range of rops, prinipally ereals and grass, or lower yields ofa wider range of rops or high yields ofgrass whih an be grazed or harvested over most ofthe year. Grade : oor Quality Agriullural 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 ofwhih are variable. In moist limates, yields ofgrass may be moderaie lo high bul there may be diffiulties in utilisation. The grade also inludes very droughty arable land. Grade : Very oor Quality Agriultural Land Land with severe limitations whih restrit use to permanent pasture or rough grazing, exept for oasional pioneer forage rops.

8 AENDIX II SOIL TNESS CLASSIFICATION Definitions of Soil etness Classes Soii wetness is lassified aording to the depth and duration of waterlogging in the soil profile. Six soil wetness lasses are identified and are defined in the lable below. etness Class Duration of waterlogging' I II III IV V VI Tii soil profile is not wet within 7 m depth for more than days in most years. ^ Tiie soil profile is wet within 7 m depth for -9 da\"s in most >ars or, ifthere is no slowk' pernienble la>er within 8 m depth, it is wet within 7 m for more than 9 da>s. but only \vt within m depth for da>s in most years. Tiie soil profile is wet within 7 m depth for 9-8 days in most years or, if there is no slowly peniinbl la\'er present within 8 m depth, it is wet within 7 m for more than 8 da>s. but only wet within m deptii for between -9 da\s in most \ears. The soil profile is wet within 7 m depth for more tiian 8 da\s but not wet within m depth for more than da>s in most years or, if there is no slowly pnneable!a>r present within 8 m depth, it is wet within m depth for 9- days in most years. Tiie soil profile is wet within m depth for - days in most years. Tiie soil profile is wot within m depth for more tiian days in most years. Assessment of einess Class Soils have been alloated to weiness lasses by the interpretation of soil profile harateristis and Hmati fators using the methodology desribed in Agriultural Land Classifiation of England and ales: Revised guidelines and riieria for grading the qualily of agriultural land{maf, 988). * The nuniber of dnys is iiol neessarily a oniiimous period. ^ 'In most years" is defined as mor llian out of years.

9 AENDIX HI SOIL DATA Contents: Sample loation map Soil abbrevialions - Explanatoi7 Note Soil il Desriptions Soil boring desriptions (boring and horizon levels) Database rintout - Horizon Level Information

10 SOIL ROFILE DESCRITIONS: EXLANATOR NOTE Soil pit and auger boring information olleted during ALC fieidwork is held on a omputer database. This uses notations and abbreviations as set oul below. Boring Header Information. GRID REF: national km grid square and 8 figure grid referene.. USE: Land use at the time of survey. The following abbreviations are used. ARA: Arable HT: heat BAR: Bariey CER: Cereais OAT: Oats MZE: Maize OSR: Oilseed rape BEN: Field Beans BRA: Brassiae OT: otatoes SBT: Sugar Beel FCD: Fodder Crops LIN: Linseed FRT: Soft and Top Fruit FL: Fallow : ermanent asturele: Ley Grass RGR: Rough Grazing SCR: SRib CF: Coniferous oodland DC: Deiduous ood HTH: Heatiiland BOG: Bog or Marsh FL: Fallow LO: loughed SAS: Set aside OTH: Other T: Hortiultural Crops. GRDNT: Gradient as estimated or measured by a hand-held optial linometer.. GLE/SL: Depth in entimetres (m) to gleying and/or slowly permeable layers,. A (HEAT/OTS); Crop-adjusted available water apaity. 6. MB (HEAT/OTS): Moisture Balane. (Crop adjusted A - rop adjusted MD) 7. DRT: Best grade aording to soil droughtiness. 8. If any of the following fators are onsidered signifiant, '' will be entered in the relevant olumn. MREL: Mirorelief limitation FLOOD: Fiood risk EROSN: Soil erosion risk EX: Exposure liniitation FROST: Frost prone DIST: Disturbed land CHEM: Chemial limitation 9. LIMIT: The main liinitation to land quality. The following abbreviations are used. OC: Overall Climate AE: Aspet EX: Exposure FR: Frost Risk GR: Gradient MR: Mirorelief FL: Flood Risk TX: Topsoil Texture D: Soi! Depth CH: Chemial : etness K: orkabihty DR: Drought ER: Erosion Risk D: Soil etness/droughtiness ST: Topsoil Stoniness

11 Soil its and Auger Borings. TEXTURE: soil texture lasses are denoted by the following abbreviations. S: Sand LS: Loamy Sand SL: Sandy Loam SZL: Sandy Silt Loam CL: Clay Loam ZCL: Silty Clay Loam ZL: Silt Loam SCL: Sandy Ciay Loam C: Clay SC: Sandy Clay ZC: Silty Clay OL: Organi Loam : eat S: Sandy eat L: Loamy eat L: eaty Loam S: eaty Sand MZ: Marine Light Sihs For the sand, ioamy sand, sandy loam and sandy silt loam lasses, the predominant size of sand fration will be indiated by the use ofthe following prefixes: F: Fine (more than 66% ofthe sand less than.mm) M: Medium (less than 66% fine sand and less than % oarse sand) C: Coarse (more than % ofthe sand larger than.6mm) The lay loam and siity lay loam lasses will be sub-divided aording to the lay ontent: M: Medium (<7% lay) H: Heavy (7-% iay). MOTTLE COL: Mottle olour using Munsell notation.. MOTTLE ABUN: Mottie abundane, expressed as a perentage of the matrix or surfae desribed. F: few <% C: ommon -% M: many -% VM: verymany % +. MOTTLE CONT: Motlie ontrast F: faint - indistint mottles, evident only on lose inspetion D: distint - mottles are readily seen : prominent - mottling is onspiuous and one ofthe outstanding feaiures ofthe horizon. ED. COL: ed fae olour using Munseii notation. 6. GLE: tf the soil horizon is gleyed a '' will appear in this olumn. If slightly gleyed, an 'S' will appear. 7. STONE LITH: Stone Lithoiogy - One ofthe following is used. : all hard roks and stones SLST: sofi ooliti or dolimiti limestone CH: halk FSST: soft, fine grained sandstone ZR: soft, argillaeous, or silty roks GH: gravel with non-porous (hard) stones MSST: soft, medium grained sandstonegs: gravel with porous (soft) stones SI: soft weathered igneous/metamorphi rok Stone ontents (>m, >6ni and total) are given in perentages (by volume).

12 8. STRUCT: the degree of development, size and shape of soil peds are desribed using the following notation: degree of development K: weakly developed MD: moderately developed ST: strongly developed ped size ped shape F: fine C: oarse S : single grain GR: granular SAB: sub-angular bloky L: platy M: medium VC: very oarse M: massive AB: angular bloky R: prismati 9. CONSIST: Soil onsistene is desribed using the following notation: L: loose VF: very friable FR: friable FM: firm VM: very firm EM: extremely firm EH: extremely liard. SUBS STR: Subsoil strutural ondition reorded for the purpose of alulating profile droughtiness: G: good M: nioderate : poor. OR: Soil porosity. Ifa soil horizon has less than.% biopores >. mm, a '' will appear in this olumn.. IM: Ifthe profile is impenetrable to rooting a '' will appear in this olumn al the appropriaie horizon.. SL: Slowly permeable layer. If tiie soi! horizon is slowly permeable a '' will appear in this olumn.. CALC: Ifthe soil horizon is alareous, a '' will appear in this olumn.. Olher notations A: available water apaity (in mm) adjusted for wheat A: available water apaity (in mm) adjusted for potatoes MB: moisture balane, wheat MB: moisture balane, potatoes

13 SOIL IT DESCRITION Site Name : HART DIST L HOOK HSE FM it Number : I Grid Referene: SU79 Average Annual Rainfall Aumulated Temperature Field Capaity Level Land Use Slope and Aspet 696 mm 6 degree days 8 days degrees E HORIZON TEXTURE COLOUR STONES > TOT.STONE LITH MOTTLES STRUCTURE CONSIST SUBSTRUCTURE CALC - 6 MCL R fl 6- MCL R C MDCSAB FR M - 6 HCL R6 7 7 M MOCAB FR M 6-7 C 6 M KCAB FM I etness Grade : A Drought Grade : etness Class Gleying SL A : A : mm mm MB : MB : III 6 m m mm mm FINAL ALC GRADE ; A MAIN LIMITATION s etness

14 program: ALCOl LIST OF BORINGS HEADERS 9//9 HART OIST L HOOK HSE FM page SAMLE ASECT TNESS -HEAT- -OTS- NO. GRID REF USE GRDNT GLE SL CLASS GRAOE A MB A MB M.REL EROSN FROST CHEM ALC ORT FLOOD EX DIST LIMIT CONTS I SU79 SU78 SU79 SU7 STB E N N A B A B A B A B IT 7 IM FLINTS 6 6 SU78 N B 8 7 su 79 NE 8 B B 8 SU7 7 B B IM 7 BROR A 9 SU7 SU78 STB SU79 STB E 6 8 B B A B B A IM FLINTS 7 SU7 SU7 SU78 SU79 6 SU7 STB STB 9 9 B B B A B B B B A B SEE I IM FLINTS 7 7 SU7 8 SU7 9 SU78 SU79 STB STB 8-7 A B A D B A B IM FLINTS 7 SU7 STB B B SU7 SU7 SU7 SAS B B B B B B IM FLINTS SU799 6 SU79 SAS SAS 8 8 B B B B 7 SU79 SAS 8 SU79 B B B B 9 SU79 B 8 SU78 SAS B B

15 program: ALCOll COMLETE LIST OF ROFILES 9//9 HART DIST L HOOK HSE FM page ISAMLE DETH TEXTURE COLOUR MOTTLES ED COL ABUN CONT COL. STONES STRUCT/ GLE > >6 LITH TOT CONSIST SUBS STR OR IM SL CALC I R R R6 7 6 R6 C R6 8 M GR8 M R6 6 7 MDCSAB FR M MDCAB FR M KCAB FM rul R R R6 F R6 C M IM FLINTS R OR R6 C R8 M M R 6 R66 F R8 68 M R R 6 OR8 M M R 6 R6 C OR6 C R6 C M R R 6 6 R8 M R8 M M IM FLINTS R 6 6 R6 C lorss M R8 M IM FLINTS R OR lorsl R6 C R8 M M R OR R6 F R8 M M - -7 R lorsl R6 C R8 M - - R 6 7 R8 F R8 C M R8 M R 6 R8 68 M

16 program: ALCOl COMLETE LIST OF ROFILES 9//9 HART OIST L HOOK HSE FM page SAMLE DETH TEXTURE COLOUR MOTTLES ED COL ABUN CONT COL. STONES STRUCT/ GLE > >6 LITH TOT CONSIST SUBS STR OR IM SL CALC mzl R R R 6 R8 M lorse M R R8 F R8 C 7R8 M IM FLINTS R 7 7 7R8 7R8 M R R OR8 7R8 7R6 C C M IM FLINTS R OR R6 6 6 F R66 C lorsb 68 M R R lorsl R6 R8 C M R lorsl 6 R6 C R8 C R8 68 M R 6 R7 6 7 R8 C R8 C 7SR8 M R R6 R7 6 7 lorss lorsa 7RS F C M IM FLINTS R 6 R7 7 7 lorss C lorsb C 7R8 M IM FLINTS R lorss C 7R8 M lorss C S -8 R R8 OR8 7RS C M

17 program: ALCOll COMLETE LIST OF ROFILES 9//9 HART DIST L HOOK HSE FM page SAMLE DETH TEXTURE COLOUR MOTTLES EO COL ABUN CONT COL. STONES STRUCT/ SUBS GLE > >6 LITH TOT CONSIST STR OR IM SL CALC 7 - R 7R8 C -6 R7 7 7R8 M 8 - R lorss C lorss C R7 7R8 M 9 - R R8 C lorss C RS M O O - R lorss C lorss C RS M

Slough Borough Local Plan Site 20: Ditton Park Farm Slough, Berkshire. Agricultural Land Classification ALC Map and Report.

Slough Borough Local Plan Site 20: Ditton Park Farm Slough, Berkshire. Agricultural Land Classification ALC Map and Report. Al Slough Borough Loal lan Site : Ditton ark Farm Slough, Berkshire Agriultural Land Classifiation ALC ap and Report April 997 Resoure lanning Team RT Job Number: 4/8/97 Eastern Region AFF Referene: EL