<table><tbody><tr><td><table><tbody><tr><td></td><td><b>It has been a stormy year for the housing market but most housebuilders have ridden it out with profits intact. Chris Windle gets the word on the industry’s achievements and frustrations during 2005 – and whether they are expecting a happy New Year</b></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td><b>David Pretty</b></td></tr><tr><td><b>chief executive, Barratt</b></td></tr><tr><td><table><tbody><tr><td>While the market has been challenging in 2005, I think the gloom is overdone. The market is steady, competitive, and basically continuing on its adjustment process from the overheated market of two years ago to normal conditions.<p></p><p>During the year our team did well on a number of fronts, but the best was the way in which we adapted to the much tougher market and managed to produce record results.</p><p>For the moment, the creaking planning system remains the biggest constraint on supply. The government has certainly been listening and is working hard to improve the situation, but as yet there are no signs that it is going to deliver speedier approvals. One issue I will be continuing to focus on next year is that there is no single planning and design formula that can be applied to every single site in every location. Different places need different, appropriate design solutions, and often they need radically …