Thousands of empty homes across Sussex are to be brought back into use under a Government scheme starting this year.

Councils will be entitled to take charge of properties that are unoccupied long term and let them to the homeless.

The move is expected to ease the shortage of affordable housing and will be backed up by new Empty Dwelling Management Orders if owners refuse to co-operate.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) estimates there are 10,193 empty homes across East Sussex, including 2,478 in Brighton and Hove.

In West Sussex, there are believed to be another 7,294.

Many of these have become magnets for antisocial behaviour and should be put to better use, Housing Minister Baroness Andrews said.

She said: "Empty homes have blighted our communities and attracted antisocial behaviour for far too long.

"The new management orders are an ideal opportunity to bring these properties back into use so as to provide much-needed accommodation locally."

The ODPM is this week launching a consultation on the new powers for councils to take over temporary managements of long-term empty houses, agreed by Parliament in 2004.

Under the scheme, which will come into operation by the end of the year, owners will be able to take their properties back on an agreed date if they are to be put to use.

The Government is now canvassing views on what length of time should be classified as long term.

Baroness Andrews said: "It is important that when it comes to providing a timescale for action against unoccupied dwellings, homeowners have a reasonable amount of time to consider what they want to do with their property without fear of unwarranted intervention."

But the Tories warned the new powers could be used to take away the properties of people who have died.

Local government spokesman Eric Pickles said: "Families will be shocked that the Government is planning to seize the homes of people who have died."