How to read demand, supply and development evidence

Read the evidence as well as the headline

A catchment report combines different measures. They answer different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable.

• Approved places describe service capacity, not current vacancies or actual occupancy.
• Population and estimated demand describe the local demand model, not a waiting list of families ready to enrol.
• Observed CCS enrolments are a separate signal with their own age range, geography and reporting period.
• A development application is evidence of a proposed project, not proof that a centre is operating or will open on a particular date.

Check dates, coverage and confidence

Use the report's source links, dates and confidence notes. An unknown place count stays unknown. A missing pipeline record does not prove that there is no proposed competition. Public planning evidence and refresh coverage can vary by council.

Why can two reports disagree?

Check the exact address, catchment type and size, source periods and metric definitions first. A drive-time catchment and a radius can cover different communities. Compare like with like.

If a figure looks wrong, send Luke the report link, affected field and a public source supporting the correction.

Methodology | Coverage

Updated on: 05/09/2026