Plans to close radio station 6 Music as part of the BBC strategy review has been rejected by the BBC trust.

Sir Michael Lyons said that the review had not presented a clear case for closing 6 Music and the BBC Trust, which represents the interests of license fee payers, would only consider closing the station as part of a wider strategy concerning the future of digital radio.

However the Trust has accepted proposals to close the BBC Asian Network, which broadcasts Asian music, news, entertainment & culture, alongside cutting its online budget by 25% and phasing out teen service Blast!

Announcements in February that 6 Music faced closure, due to falling listenership and a £9 million annual budget, faced strong public opposition and a high-profile campaign to save the station soon followed.

Musicians including David Bowie, Coldplay and Lily Allen have been outspoken in their support to save 6 Music alongside the UK music industry, which argues its closure would remove a key outlet for upcoming artists.

6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne posted “Hey amazing 6 listeners! What do you think we should save next?” on her Twitter page and Elly Jackson expressed she was “extremely excited” on Radio 5 Live.

The move was published by the Trust as part of its initial conclusions to the strategy review and accompanying the BBC’s Annual Report.

The trust announced: “As things stand, the case has not been made for the closure of 6 Music.

“The executive should draw up an overarching strategy for digital radio. If the director general wanted to propose a different shape for the BBC’s music radio stations as part of a new strategy, the trust would consider it.”

The trust pointed out that 6 Music now reaches 1 million listeners a week, up 66% since the the review was carried out.