Residents in Prince Harry’s Californian neighbourhood feel betrayed as planning permission for a housing and retail unit is given the go-ahead to a developer.

Montecito residents are annoyed as local planning project gets green light (Image: Getty)
Residents in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Californian neighbourhood of Montecito feel betrayed as planning permission for a housing and retail unit is given the go-ahead despite voices of concern.

The Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel Resort’s housing and retail project – which involves disputed plans to build 26 affordable housing units and 17,500 square feet of high-end boutique retail shops – has been given the green light by the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission.

Initially a vocal opponent of the plan, All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church ultimately reached a compromise, which involved reducing the scope of the project.

The church had initially opposed the project but dropped its opposition after developer Rick Caruso agreed to set back the second floor of the apartments closest to the church by 40 feet.

Santa Barbara (Image: Alexander Spatari)

The agreement has felt like a betrayal to some of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s neighbours. Resident Page Robinson explained how she had seen cars cause obstructions to the area and saw this as a greater problem in the future. As reported in media outlet Noozhawk she said: “It’s on us, the neighbors, to run around like the vigilante paparazzi doing the county’s job. Not my first choice. I shouldn’t have to be the safety police.”

Other neighbours fear the planning project will exacerbate parking problems.

Another neighbour said: “I feel that this project will have an adverse impact on our public health and safety due mostly to overflowing street parking and much more traffic.”

Developer, Mr Caruso, issued a public statement after the meeting.

It said: “We are delighted by today’s unanimous approval of our plan for the Miramar by the County Planning Commission, and deeply grateful to the hundreds of neighbors and community members who helped shape our plan over the past two years.”

The project also has drawn some opposition from union groups who want the developer to hire local contractors for jobs. Josh Taylor, speaking on behalf of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters said using local workers would be a huge reinvestment into the community and the local area.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to Montecito, California, after stepping down as working royals in 2020.

Harry and Meghan’s Montecito luxury abode boasts a total of five acres of land, featuring nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a pool and a tennis court, as well as extensive gardens and its own chicken coop.

A real estate expert has touched down on the running costs of this huge £12million home, claiming that it must cost thousands of pounds every year just to look after it.

Eric Bramlett, of real estate company Bramlett Residential, told Fabulous magazine: “Managing a £12million ($14 million) mansion like Harry and Meghan’s in Montecito takes a lot of work.”

Mr Bramlett explained: “Just paying the staff salaries, utilities, landscaping, maintenance, security, and more could easily cost hundreds of thousands per year.”