Council leaders are set to remove protections safeguarding five pieces of land for future road schemes.

Staffordshire County Council currently protects nine highway alignments that safeguard potential routes for bypasses or junction improvements.

This means plans to develop the land can be blocked if they would prevent transport infrastructure being delivered.

But the council is now proposing to remove the protections for five of these alignments following a review, as they are no longer seen as necessary.

In some cases, this is because the road scheme is unlikely to bring any real benefits, would have too many drawbacks or has already been 'compromised' by development.

The alignment of the proposed Cheadle Bypass is set to be retained, while three other alignments would be reclassified as 'active travel corridors'.

Cabinet members will be asked to approve the changes to the highway alignments at their meeting on Wednesday.

The report to cabinet explains that if an alignment is no longer considered justified, it could result in 'significant' legal costs for the council and reputational damage if a developer successfully appeals against their plans being refused.

Cllr Andrew Mynors, cabinet member for connectivity, said: "Protecting land for possible future road schemes is an important planning tool, but it must stay up to date.

"Where there is still a strong case, we should continue to protect a route.

"But where a scheme is no longer supported by current plans, is unlikely to be delivered, or would not offer good value for money, it is right to give residents, landowners and developers clarity."

These are the five alignments where the council is set to remove protections:

Newpool Road, Biddulph realignment

According to the report, the realignment has no local plan or local transport plan policy support.

It would also negatively impact a national cycle network route and publicly accessible greenspace.

The scheme would offer 'no identified traffic or road safety benefits and the cost is likely to be 'considerable'.

A520 Cellarhead Crossroads, Werrington Bypass

The proposed alignment for the bypass has been 'critically compromised' by a residential development, and further construction on the land is ongoing.

The alignment has no local plan or local transport plan policy support.

Yoxall Bypass alignment

The report says the route has no policy support and has been 'significantly' compromised at its northern end by a residential development.

Recent traffic management interventions on the nearby A515 have reduced the impact of HGVs through Yoxall.

Stafford Southern Bypass

Along with the lack of policy support, the report says there is 'no economic case' for the bypass, and the route would have a significant environmental impact in an area at high risk of flooding.

Delivery would also be 'extremely complex' due to there being multiple landowners.

B5032 Ashbourne Road, Mayfield realignment

According to the report, the scheme has no policy support and would have a negative impact on the environment.

The costs would significantly outweigh the transport and safety benefits.

The report recommends retaining the protection for the proposed Cheadle Bypass.

The proposed link road between Tean Road and Brookhouse Way would support housing development to the west of the town and is included in the Staffordshire Moorlands local plan.

But the report notes that it would need to be delivered via developer contributions with no public funding available.

Three other alignments – Amington Link Road, Dosthill Bypass in Tamworth, and the Winchester Road, Hednesford extention scheme – are set to be turned into active travel corridors.

This would mean the alignments would no longer be protected for future road schemes, but for potential walking and cycling infrastructure instead.

The cabinet report also recommends that protection is not introduced for the Cornhill Link Road in Leek.

The report says the road is unlikely to provide transport benefits or relive congestion in the town centre.