The Berejiklian government’s decision to remake rather than tighten NSW’s land-clearing codes was “disappointing but not surprising”, the Nature Conservation Council says.

The Land and Environment Court on Friday found the new codes to be “invalid” because of a procedural failure by ministers. The verdict threw in doubt the legality of clearing since the government passed new native vegetation laws last August.

However, the legal void didn’t last long, with the government remaking codes overnight on Friday to give landholders “certainty to get on with the business of farming”, the Local Land Services said in a statement.

Loss of habitat: Land clearing near Walgett in October 2017.

“The remade code is identical to the previous one and is an integral part of the new land management framework which gives landowners the tools and certainty they need,” David Witherdin, the Local Land Services’ chief executive, said.