Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

__________________________________________________________________________________

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_______________

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Date of 17 March 2005

BHP Billiton Limited

ABN 49 004 028 077

180 Lonsdale Street

Melbourne Victoria 3000

Australia

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F X   Form 40-F  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Yes     No X

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):


Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

To: Company Announcements Office
The London Stock Exchange

 

Company Announcements Office
The Australian Stock Exchange

cc:
New York Stock Exchange
Swiss Stock Exchange
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Deutsche Bank
UBS Zurich

Date: 17 March 2005

For Release: Immediately

Contact: Ines Watson + 44 (0)20 7802 4176

 

Notification of Major Interests in Shares

 

The following notification was received on 16 March 2005 by BHP Billiton Plc in a letter from Barclays PLC, dated 10 March 2005, relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc as at 8 March 2005:

"I hereby inform you that as at 8 March 2005 Barclays PLC, through the legal entities listed on the attached schedule, has a notifiable interest in the capital of your Company of 3.36%.

Details of this interest, together with a breakdown between registered holders (as required by Section 202(3) of the Act), are enclosed."

 

LEGAL ENTITY REPORT

BHP BILLITON PLC

SEDOL : 0056650

As at 8 March 2005 Barclays PLC, through the legal entities listed below, had a notifiable interest in 82,811,260 USD0.50 representing 3.36% of the issued share capital of 2,468,147,002 units

Legal Entity

Holding

Percentage Held

Barclays Global Fund Advisors

5,473,288

0.2218

Barclays Global Investors Ltd

39,847,008

1.6145

Barclays Global Investors Japan Trust & Banking

2,484,953

0.1007

Barclays Global Investors Japan Ltd

1,308,859

0.053

Barclays Life Assurance Co Ltd

3,296,467

0.1336

Barclays Global Investors Australia Ltd

965,666

0.0391

Gerrard Ltd

381,958

0.0155

Barclays Global Investors, N.A.

29,039,099

1.1766

Barclays Private Bank Ltd

1,596

0.0001

Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd

12,366

0.0005

Group Holding

82,811,260

3.3554

 

REGISTERED HOLDERS REPORT

BHP BILLITON PLC

SEDOL: 0056650

As at 08 March 2005 Barclays PLC, through the registered holders listed below, had a notifiable interest in 82,811,260 USD0.50 representing 3.36% of the issued share capital of 2,468,147,002 units.

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

Bank of Ireland

345,301

BARCLAYS TRUST CO AS EXEC/ADM

866

Barclays Trust Co DMC69

10,000

Barclays Trust Co R69

1,500

BNP PARIBAS

168,729

CHASE NOMINEES LTD

16376

1,393,213

CHASE NOMINEES LTD

20947

11,110,938

CIBC MELLON GLOBAL SECURITIES

99,091

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

70,174

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

474,454

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

590,285

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

4,777,096

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

45,462

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

596,144

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

27,982

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

1,624,140

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

3,437,519

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

46,217

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

4,299,723

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

12,631,659

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

728,093

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

690,505

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

24,512

INVESTORS BANK AND TRUST CO.

32,793

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16331

796,492

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16338

160,262

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16341

284,977

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16341

1,447,897

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16342

300,858

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16344

105,492

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16345

159,827

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

16400

27,200,771

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

17011

40,662

JP MORGAN (BGI CUSTODY)

18408

142,086

JPMorgan Chase Bank

158,501

JPMorgan Chase Bank

24,366

JPMorgan Chase Bank

151,410

JPMorgan Chase Bank

180,668

JPMorgan Chase Bank

267,331

JPMorgan Chase Bank

179,107

JPMorgan Chase Bank

314,525

JPMorgan Chase Bank

20,870

JPMorgan Chase Bank

26,525

JPMorgan Chase Bank

122,862

JPMorgan Chase Bank

6,140

JPMorgan Chase Bank

35,459

JPMorgan Chase Bank

104,074

JPMorgan Chase Bank

65,662

JPMorgan Chase Bank

6,000

JPMorgan Chase Bank

312,735

JPMorgan Chase Bank

1,313,440

JPMorgan Chase Bank

20,491

JPMorgan Chase Bank

5,770

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

550,449

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

415,217

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

74,464

Master Trust Bank

33,268

Mellon Trust - Boston & SF

359,379

Mellon Trust - Boston & SF

251,448

MELLON TRUST OF NEW ENGLAND

314,711

Mitsubishi Trust International

16,210

Mitsubishi Trust International

24,661

NORTHERN TRUST BANK - BGI SEPA

402,338

NORTHERN TRUST BANK - BGI SEPA

83,222

NORTHERN TRUST BANK - BGI SEPA

339,848

R C Greig Nominees Limited a/c

BL1

123,574

R C Greig Nominees Limited a/c

CM1

69,210

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

R C Greig Nominees Limited GP1

GP1

109,459

R C Greig Nominees Limited SA1

SA1

79,715

State Street

42,216

State Street

3,561

STATE STREET BOSTON

2,067,789

STATE STREET BOSTON

212,541

Sumitomo TB

12,659

WELLS FARGO SEATTLE - WIRE BAN

42,069

ZEBAN NOMINEES LIMITED

1,596

Total

82,811,260

 

BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Telephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015

BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111

                                                                    The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

BHP BILLITON LIMITED
/s/ KAREN WOOD
_____________________

Karen Wood
Title: Company Secretary
Date:
1
7 March 2005