Police boxes go on sale in Edinburgh

More than 20 of Edinburgh's iconic police boxes have gone on sale.

The two tonne boxes, which were designed by city architect Ebenezer MacRae between 1931 and 1933, are being sold individually.

The closing date for offers on the 22 boxes, which have had no price set on them, is 31 May 2012 at noon.

The buyer then has to remove the box from the street or get planning permission from the council for it to stay there.

If the box gains planning permission it must have the police blue colour changed.

There will also be a sales fee price of £100 for each box.

The boxes are deemed street furniture rather than residential property.

The 22 police boxes are in Cowgate, Cranston Street, Croal Place (Albert St), Dalkeith St, Joppa, Drumsheugh Gardens, Easter Road, Hunter Square, Lawnmarket, Magdala Crescent, Market Street, Marshall Street, Melville Drive, Newbattle Terrace, Newcraighall Road (Wisp), Princes Street (West End), Quality Street, Regent Road, Rutland Square, The Shore, Leith, Whitehouse Loan, West Register Street, Whitepark and Gorgie.

The money made by the sale will go towards the Force Capital Investment Programme.

Sara Griffiths, Lothian and Borders Police property manager, said: "When these boxes were introduced they would have proved invaluable to officers, but as technology and policing methods evolved a number of them have now become obsolete.

"This is a great opportunity for collectors to snap up a unique piece of Edinburgh, and policing, history."