MadLab is proud to have contributed to The New High Street Playbook: Community-led Innovation in Action, a new report from Power to Change that shares learning from the Community-Led High Street Innovators programme. Over 12 months, the programme brought together organisations across England to explore how community-led action can help revitalise high streets and town centres.

As part of the programme, MadLab worked with Manchester Metropolitan University and GRIT Studios to explore inclusive regeneration in Stockport, focusing on how local communities can play a more active role in shaping the future of the town centre.

The report brings together learning from all five Innovators and argues for a new vision of the "civic high street" – one centred on care, learning, enterprise, culture and everyday participation, rather than retail alone. It suggests that community businesses are often best placed to turn this vision into reality, offering a model of renewal that is more locally rooted, more trusted and more durable than top-down regeneration alone. At its heart is the idea that community ownership, stewardship and decision-making are essential to creating resilient, thriving places.

The publication is an important milestone for the programme, offering practical lessons for communities, policymakers and partners seeking more inclusive approaches to regeneration. We're delighted to have contributed to this important programme and look forward to continuing the conversation about how communities can lead lasting change on our high streets.

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