Agricultural Land Classification

Agricultural land classification (ALC) is important for developers. All agricultural land is graded from 1 down to 5. The higher the grading the more suitable the land is for growing crops with a high yield such as fruit, vegetables, cereals etc. But how does this affect developers who are looking to build on agricultural land?

In England, the Agricultural Land Classification system grades land from 1 to 5 according to its quality and versatility for agricultural use. The best and most versatile agricultural land (BMV) comprises Grades 1, 2 and Subgrade 3a. Subgrade 3b is not BMV.

Natural England’s current guidance on development proposals affecting agricultural land should be read alongside the NPPF and the Development Management Procedure Order. For a non-agricultural planning application that would lead to the loss of more than 20 hectares of BMV land which is not allocated for development in the development plan, the local planning authority must consult Natural England.

BMV status is an important planning consideration, but it is not an automatic prohibition on development. Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, national policy encourages the use of poorer-quality land in preference to higher-quality land where other sustainability considerations do not outweigh that approach. This makes the ALC grade an important part of site selection and planning evidence rather than a simple pass or fail test.

In addition to the various grades within the agricultural land classification, we also have urban, non-agricultural, woodland and open water.

• Grade 1: Excellent Quality Agricultural Land (BMV)
  • Land with no or very minor limitations to agricultural use. A very wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops can be grown and commonly includes top fruit, soft fruit, salad crops and winter harvested vegetables. Yields are high and less variable than on land of lower quality.
• Grade 2: Very Good Quality Agricultural Land (BMV)
  • Land with minor limitations which affect crop yield, cultivations or harvesting. A wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops can usually be grown but on some land in the grade there may be reduced flexibility due to difficulties with the production of the more demanding crops such as winter harvested vegetables and arable root crops. The level of yield is generally high but may be lower or more variable than Grade 1.
• Grade 3: Good to Moderate Quality Agricultural Land
  • Land with moderate limitations which affect the choice of crops, timing and type of cultivation, harvesting or the level of yield. Where more demanding crops are grown yields are generally lower or more variable than on land in Grades 1 and 2.
• Subgrade 3a: Good Quality Agricultural Land (BMV)
  • Land capable of consistently producing moderate to high yields of a narrow range of arable crops, especially cereals, or moderate yields of a wide range of crops including cereals, grass, oilseed rape, potatoes, sugar beet and the less demanding horticultural crops.
• Subrade 3b: Moderate Quality Agricultural Land
  • Land capable of producing moderate yields of a narrow range of crops, principally cereals and grass or lower yields of a wider range of crops or high yields of grass which can be grazed or harvested over most of the year.
• Grade 4: Poor Quality Agricultural Land
  • Land with severe limitations which significantly restrict the range of crops and/or level of yields. It is mainly suited to grass with occasional arable crops (e.g. cereals and forage crops) the yields of which are variable. In moist climates, yields of grass may be moderate to high but there may be difficulties in utilisation. The grade also includes very droughty arable land.
• Grade 5: Very Poor Quality Agricultural Land
  • Land with very severe limitations which restrict use to permanent pasture or rough grazing, except for occasional pioneer forage crops.
• Urban
  • Built-up or ‘hard’ uses with relatively little potential for a return to agriculture including: housing, industry, commerce, education, transport, religious buildings, cemeteries. Also, hard-surfaced sports facilities, permanent caravan sites and vacant land; all types of derelict land, including mineral workings which are only likely to be reclaimed using derelict land grants.
• Non-agricultural
  • ‘Soft’ uses where most of the land could be returned relatively easily to agriculture, including: golf courses, private parkland, public open spaces, sports fields, allotments and soft-surfaced areas on airports/ airfields. Also active mineral workings and refuse tips where restoration conditions to ‘soft’ after-uses may apply.
• Woodland
  • Includes commercial and non-commercial woodland. A distinction may be made as necessary between farm and non-farm woodland.
• Agricultural Buildings
  • Includes the normal range of agricultural buildings as well as other relatively permanent structures such as glasshouses. Temporary structures (e.g. polythene tunnels erected for lambing) may be ignored.
• Open water
  • Includes lakes, ponds and rivers as map scale permits.

You can use Defra MAGIC and Natural England’s predictive ALC mapping as useful screening tools. They do not necessarily establish the detailed grade of a particular development site, especially where Grade 3 needs to be divided between 3a and 3b. A site-specific soil and ALC survey may therefore be needed. If you want to discuss the likely planning implications, you can book a call with Planning Geek.

Other Agricultural Sections

Agricultural Land Classification Updated: 22nd August 2026