4.16 Enabling local food production has a number of important benefits (for example, in terms of climate change and achieving carbon neutrality by reducing food miles, as well as benefitting people’s health and well-being). In terms of using land efficiently, it is also important to avoid the unnecessary loss of high-quality agricultural land. National policy makes it clear that the best and most versatile agricultural land should be protected, wherever possible, from significant development. The Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) classifies land into six grades (plus ‘non-agricultural’ and ‘urban’), where Grades 1 to 3a are recognised as being the best and most versatile land and Grades 3b to 5 are of poorer quality. Data from the provisional ALC shows that the majority of B&NES is underlain by Grade 3 (good to moderate quality) land; however, further clarity is needed in some areas as to whether this land is Grade 3a (best and most versatile) or Grade 3b (poorer quality). The quality of agricultural land will therefore influence spatial strategy and the choice of locations for strategic development, although further information on quality is likely to be required in preparing the Draft Local Plan.
