The government is to appoint a Cabinet-level “design tsar” in the autumn to monitor the design standards of public buildings.

Under the proposals, which have been planned for more than a year, the government would replace its network of departmental design champions with one minister in charge of design.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is ready to appoint a minister for design but is holding off until the autumn in case there is a July reshuffle in the Cabinet.

The appointed minister would combine design duties with their normal Cabinet post.

Lord Falconer, the secretary of state for constitutional affairs, has been in charge of the design champions system since its inception in 1997, and has been looking at ways of ensuring that departments pull their weight.

The appointment could be someone close to the Treasury, to increase the post’s influence.