Wakefield Wildcats Rugby League Football Club has been dealt a blow after the local authority dropped plans for a new community stadium at Thornes Park.

The decision was made at a meeting of Wakefield Council's cabinet at the end of September, after a report suggested that the project would be too expensive. A feasibility study and business plan for the new community stadium, which would have seen the Wildcats relocate from their current Belle Vue home, claimed that the development at Thornes Park would cost £56m and would not be ready until 2012.

Joanne Roney, the council's chief executive, said: "The council simply doesn't have enough resources to provide and maintain all facilities requested of us. We have to make difficult choices, which is why we seek to find ways of working in partnership to bring in extra investment for the whole area." The club's community and marketing director, James Elston, said: "We accept the council's decision regarding the proposed site at Thornes Park. However, they now need to work with us to come up with an alternative solution."

Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the council will not be investing in a new stadium, for Castleford Tigers Rugby League Football Club. But Tigers' chief executive, Richard Wright, said the club were going to continue with plans for the development at Glasshoughton. "The Tigers never expected the council to fund our stadium," he said. "From the outset, the proposals were that the council would invest in their own facilities in the stadium, in line with their own requirements for provision of sporting facilities in the district.

"We remain committed to moving ahead with our stadium plans and although there is a lot of hard work ahead of us, we remain confident that our plans will come to fruition."