A Latin American market faces demolition – despite warnings from United Nations (UN) experts that its loss would threaten London’s cultural life.

The Government has given the green light to a compulsory purchase order (CPO) allowing Haringey Council to buy up Seven Sisters Indoor Market – also known as the Latin Village – as part of a regeneration scheme.

It means the council’s development partner Grainger will be able to demolish the existing buildings and build new flats and shops on the Wards Corner site in Tottenham.

Haringey Council leader Cllr Joseph Ejiofor has committed to providing a new market at Wards Corner, as well as a temporary site while work takes place, and the council has secured rent discounts and other support for traders to help with the transition.

UN experts had warned the CPO would have “a disproportionate impact on people belonging to minorities and their right to equal participation in economic, social and cultural rights” in a letter to the UK government in July 2017.

They added: “The market provides a dynamic cultural space, inclusive of people from a diversity of places and from different generations, that is a great example of London’s cultural diversity.

“The destruction of the market and scattering of the small businesses to other premises would not only seriously affect the economic situation of the people working there, but it would also make this cultural life simply disappear.”

But the secretary of state ruled that the CPO would help to promote the “economic, social and environmental well-being” of Seven Sisters in a decision published on January 23.

The decision to proceed with the CPO was taken in October 2016, when Haringey Council was run by Claire Kober’s Labour administration.

Since the CPO was submitted, the council has improved its offer to market traders, who will be allowed to relocate to a temporary site before work begins.

They will also benefit from fixed-term, subsidised rents and business support.

The council has committed to providing a new, permanent site for traders affected by the regeneration plan.

Cllr Joseph Ejiofor, who became council leader last May, previously said that going back on the deal with Grainger would cost the council millions of pounds in compensation payments.

Commenting on the CPO ruling, Cllr Ejiofor said: “We remain committed to a successful and sustainable Seven Sisters Market, supporting the market’s traders and their future success.

“This decision means that together with our development partner, Grainger, and working with the Latin traders, we can now move forward with plans to create a revitalised Seven Sisters.

“We expect this scheme to create hundreds of new jobs, quality retail space and nearly 200 homes, alongside a thriving new market.”

The Wards Corner regeneration scheme will provide 196 new homes – but none of the flats will be classed as affordable due to high development costs.

This is despite Haringey’s target of providing 40 per cent affordable homes on new developments.