By 1930 these had become too small to house the growing demand for municipal services, and so the council looked to construct a larger building.

[1] Buildings demolished on the site included the old Nuneaton Free Library and Clare Speight's photographic studios.

The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with 17 bays; a projecting central section included a large three-bay, two-storey, hexastyle composite order portico with a doorway surmounted by the borough coat of arms on the ground floor and three windows with entablature above on the first floor.

[5] The building was formally opened by the former local member of parliament, Sir Francis Newdegate, on 26 April 1934.

An investigation showed that it had been started accidentally by workmen using a blowtorch while carrying out roof repairs.