dataset · United Kingdom

National Soil-Parent Material

The National Soil Parent Material dataset is a GIS describing the geological material from which topsoils and subsoils (A and B horizons) develop (i.e. from the base of pedological soil down to c. 3m). These deposits display a variable degree of weathering, but still exhibit core geological characteristics relating to their lithologies. The dataset covers England, Scotland and Wales and characterises parent material lithology, texture, mineralogy, strength and a range of other soil/parent relate

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Source details

Licence: ["The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in an

Evidence quality: 37.4

Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).

Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z

What's in it

Data offered docs-verified: parent material lithology · parent material texture · parent material mineralogy · parent material strength · other soil/parent-related properties
Coverage docs-verified: England, Scotland and Wales
Update frequency docs-verified: as needed
Access docs-verified: No licence set on the dataset page. BGS access constraints apply: copyright vested in NERC, and no part may be reproduced or transmitted without the copyright holder's prior permission (via BGS IPR Manager).

Useful for

Use cases llm-inferred: Parent material and texture screening for infiltration and SuDS suitability in drainage strategies · Geology-led desk study context for geotechnical ground models in the upper c. 3 m · Soil and substrate baseline layer for habitat and BNG mapping
Audience llm-inferred: drainage engineers · geotechnical engineers · hydrologists · ecologists · GIS analysts · flood consultants · planners

Limitations

Constraints llm-inferred: Coverage stated as England, Scotland and Wales only; Northern Ireland not listed · Describes material from the base of the soil profile down to c. 3 m, not deeper ground · No spatial or scale resolution is stated on the page · No download format is stated on the page; only metadata XML and HTML are linked · Reuse is restricted by BGS/NERC copyright terms, so permission is needed to reproduce or transmit · Source data reference dates are 2008 (creation) and 2010 (revision), though the page was updated in 2026 · BGS gives no warranty as to accuracy or suitability for any use; use is at the customer's own risk

Evidence

Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.