West Midlands Fire Service is bidding to exempt its historic Birmingham headquarters from planning controls as it plans to move from the site.
The service has asked Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell to grant its Lancaster Circus complex a fiveyear "immunity" from being made a listed building in order to maximise the sale value of the city centre site.
The move was criticised by firefighters' representatives who accused the brigade of behaving like an "out-and-out corporate business" while city councillors also vowed to oppose redevelopment of the site.
And a spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport last night described the bid as "quite a risk" because the neo-Georgian station would gain listed status if the immunity application was rejected.
Commercial property consultants Phoenix Beard said the site could be worth as much as £2 million per acre but would lose value if sold with a listed building.
The service claims the structure, which has a distinctive clock tower and is celebrating its 70th birthday this year, was too expensive to maintain and repair.
The conservation areas advisory committee, consisting of councillors, business and civic conservation groups, met earlier this week to discuss the application.
It unanimously recommended that the station be made a local listed building at Grade A and the city council tell DCMS it opposes the national listing immunity.
The committee's vice chairman Peter Douglas Osborn (Con Weoley) said: "We are gearing up to fight this all the way.
"It is a very fine example of the kind of 1930s municipal building we don't have much of anymore." The fire service confirmed it was looking at "three or four" sites for a new HQ but would not confirm their locations.
A spokesman said: "This is a simple business process.
"There is a common misconception that the Central Fire Station is an ancient building. It was actually built in 1935.
"But it costs £200,000 to maintain every year and it would cost £500,000 to repair some of the unsafe areas.
"Of course, it is the public purse at stake here and we have to be seen to make sure we get the best value we can.
"We would hate to be halfway through a sale when the building suddenly becomes listed. These are the issues we need clarified before we go any further."
He added: "We know it is a well-known landmark and is close to the hearts of Brummies and close to our hearts too.
"It is a symbol of firefighting in the West Midlands but the issues surrounding health and safety and disabled access for example are very real.
"It has never really been suitable as a working fire station."
The station currently houses just two appliances. Tony Nutting, spokesman for the Fire Brigades Union, said: "They are supposed to be a community fire service but what will losing that fantastic frontage and clock tower mean for the community of Birmingham?
"It is definitely up there with the Law Courts as one of the most recognisable buildings in the city.
"But the Fire Service is just an out and out corporate business and it is looking to make as much money as possible."
Ms Jowell's decision, which will be based on an English Heritage report, is expected in June.
