More than 17,000 homes are standing empty in Sussex at the same time as the Government is proposing to build thousands more.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) estimated that there are 10,193 empty homes in East Sussex and 7,294 in West Sussex.

Critics said it was a scandal so many remained empty and that the county's infrastructure could not cope with any more building.

Horsham MP Francis Maude yesterday tabled a ten-minute rule Bill in the House of Commons which would force the Government to match any new building with new services such as hospitals and roads.

In West Sussex, it would force the Department of Health to build a new hospital at Pease Pottage, which was rejected several years ago.

Mr Maude told the Commons yesterday: "There's a huge disconnect between the Government diktat that many tens of thousands of new houses are to be built in West Sussex over the next 15 years and the provision that's being made for supporting infrastructure.

"I'm particularly concerned about the secondary health infrastructure and the hospital sector, which is already in deep crisis in our area and deteriorating fast.

"There are also major problems with transport and water capacity, neither of which are being addressed by the Government in any kind of serious way."

The All Party Environmental Audit Committee has warned that the Government's ambitions for house-building in the South-East will lead to "significant and irreversible damage".

Mr Maude said: "This Bill would require a full audit of existing or planned infrastructure in areas of significant housing development.

"It would not preclude the Deputy Prime Minister from continuing to impose excessive housing development on the South-East.

"But it would make it much more embarrassing for him to do it without there being proper provision for the necessary infrastructure being made.

"I oppose these huge increases in house-building that are being contemplated.

"However, this Bill would ensure that any new housebuilding is matched with adequate infrastructure."

The Bill, which will come before Parliament again in July next year, was backed by Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton, Wealden MP Charles Hendry, Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert, Mid-Sussex MP Nicholas Soames and Chichester MP Andrew Tyrie.

The Eastbourne Green Party said it was a scandal so many homes were standing empty while massive house-building was being proposed.

Spokesman Clive Gross said: "The entire premise of the plans is that house-building in the South-East must go on regardless of what our natural environment can actually support. It concentrates entirely on the building of new homes while completely ignoring the issue of empty properties that could be brought back into use."

There have been fears the plans will stretch amenities like roads, schools and water supplies unless improvements are made.

Mr Gross added: "This summer has seen water reserves at dangerously low levels across the county with our current level of population.

"Increased housing development, coupled with the effects of climate change, will have disastrous consequences."

Critics insist empty properties and previously developed brownfield sites should be utilised first before plans to build on new land are considered.