An academics’ report which today claims territorial tensions between rival teenage gangs are creating a “multi-layered and complex” problem in Bradford has been condemned.

Researchers at Glasgow University looked at six cities including Bradford and concluded that territorial behaviour could be seen as a “coping mechanism” for young people in poverty.

The report said Bradford experienced territorial tensions within and between the white housing estates on the periphery of the city, while there were territorial divisions between Asian groups in the city centre.

Young People and Territoriality in British Cities, by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, also noted that white groups from rival estates in Bradford would team up to oppose Asian groups, and then go back to fight each other.

But the research has come under fire from senior councillors and the police.

Councillor Martin Smith, Bradford Council’s executive member for Safer Communities, said: “This sort of report causes more damage to the community than these academics could possibly imagine. It is damaging to the structures we have already built up in terms of community support – structures that have been lauded by Government.”

Coun Smith said the academics had vastly overstated the scale of the problem in Bradford and added that their grasp of the situation was “out of date.”

Councillor Ian Greenwood, leader of the Council’s Labour group, said: “Yet again, we have a group of academics looking to garner their academic reputation who are commenting about Bradford – a city I can’t believe they have spent much time in.

“We are taking steps to deal with the situation but what Bradford needs like a hole in the head is a load more bad publicity generated by people who have little involvement in the city.”

Inspector Kevin Pickles, of City Ward Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The report’s findings do not match our own experiences in Bradford. There has been no evidence to suggest there are tensions between rival groups and this is due to our Neighbourhood Policing Teams who continue to work closely with local communities.”

Bana Gora, Bradford manager of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said he was disappointed by the reaction.

“The lead researcher on the project, Keith Kintrea, found that territoriality should be a significant consideration when designing policies and programmes relating to the social exclusion of young people, community safety and neighbourhoods,” he said.

“The report highlights there are many useful community projects across Britain, designed to challenge territoriality and create alternative opportunities for young people offering them positive ways of affirming themselves.”

Those involved in gangs were mainly 13 to 17-year-old boys, but the report noted a narrowing gender gap in Bradford, with one adult interviewee referring to girls “hunting in packs” and becoming more “laddish”.

e-mail: will.kilner@telegraphandargus.co.uk