After the widespread flooding in 1998 and 2000 which deeply affected the country, the English government decided to strengthen the flood management system. New tools were set up, like the PPG 25, the attributions of the different stakeholders were more clearly defined, risk is assessed at different scales. More than simply managing floods, a system of risk governance has been set up, all stakeholders must be coordinated in order to negotiate relevantly. But above all, this governance has to be spatialiazed and stakeholders who are involved not only in flood management but also in planning issues must define areas of action at different levels (local, regional and national). This new flood governance is driven by the government but the key body of regulation is the Environment Agency. In East London, governance issues are to balance development needs on the one and the necessity to control development in flood risk areas, on the other hand.