During the twentieth century the urban development of Stretford continued to grow. Trafford Park as an industrial area was continuing to expand and during the late 1920s and early 1930s, both private and council housing began to fill in the gaps in open spaces finally linking the whole of the Stretford area together. During the 1920s, Stretford Council had been petitioning for a charter which would give them borough status and allow for them to be self governing. This was granted, and on 16th September 1933, Stretford finally became a Municipal Borough. Lord Derby handed over the charter to the new Mayor during the opening ceremony of the New Town Hall. The Town Hall, the result of a government inquiry, was started in 1931 with the cutting of the first sod by Councillor James Child J.P on August 21st 1931. The architects who had been chosen to design the building were Messrs. Bradshaw, Gass and Hope of Bolton who had already designed many notable buildings in England including Le Mans Crescent, Bolton and Wimbledon Town Halls, whilst the construction was carried out by Messrs. Edwin Marshall & Sons of Ashton under Lyne.