A Grade II listed fire station at Aston in Birmingham will not be demolished, the local fire authority has said.

West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority had claimed it needed a building suited to a “modern-day” fire service.

Heritage England rejected the authority’s request to remove the Grade II listing, meaning the authority must reconsider its plans.

It will now consider a renovation keeping the building’s frontage and other listed elements.

The fire authority had said the listed building on Ettington Road in Aston was expensive to run and maintain.

Heritage England said: “Aston fire station was listed at Grade II in 2010 and recognised as a carefully designed building which works well with its surroundings and is a powerful symbol of civic pride.”

The authority will continue with plans to demolish another station in Coventry, on the Radford Road, but a date has not been set. Training facilities at the site will remain.

The Coventry scheme could cost an estimated £6.7m.