PERTH — A pothole on Dunkeld Road has been granted Category A listed status by heritage officials, making it one of the most protected historic sites in Perth and putting an immediate stop to any attempt to fill it in.

The pothole, affectionately known to locals as "The Big Yin", is believed to have first opened sometime in the late 20th century, though carbon dating of tarmac fragments suggests it may contain layers going back to the reign of James VI.

"This is an extraordinary find," said heritage officer Dr Catriona Moffat, kneeling in it. "We've found coins, buttons, three hubcaps from the 1980s, and what appears to be the remains of an earlier pothole beneath it. It's potholes all the way down. Perth was essentially built around it."

The listing means the council is now legally prohibited from repairing the crater without consulting Historic Environment Scotland, completing a 600-page conservation management plan, and holding a public consultation lasting no less than three years.

Motorists have greeted the news with mixed feelings. "I've lost two tyres and a front bumper to that hole," said taxi driver Stuart Dewar, 56. "And now I find out it's more important than me. Legally."

Plans are under way to build a small visitor centre beside the pothole, featuring an interactive exhibit called "Into the Abyss: 40 Years of Suspension Damage", a café, and a viewing platform from which visitors can watch cars hit it "safely and with commentary".

Other Perthshire towns are now reportedly racing to have their own potholes recognised. A crater on the A93 near Blairgowrie has applied for World Heritage Site status, while a Crieff pothole is said to be seeking twinning arrangements with a sinkhole in Florida.

The council said it was "delighted" by the listing, and noted that it had saved roughly £400 in repair costs, which it plans to spend on a blue plaque.