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 28 February 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: 28 February 2005

For Release: Immediately

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

 

Notification of Major Interests in Shares

 

The following notification was received on 25 February 2005 by BHP Billiton Plc in a letter from Barclays PLC, dated 23 February 2005, relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc as at 22 February 2005:

"I hereby inform you that as at 22 February 2005 Barclays PLC, through the legal entities listed on the attached schedule, has a notifiable interest in the capital of your Company of 3.58%.

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 22 February 2005 Barclays PLC, through the legal entities listed below, had a notifiable interest in 88,245,259 USD0.50 representing 3.58% of the issued share capital of 2,468,147,002 units

Legal Entity

Holding

Percentage Held

Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd

10,866

0.0004

Barclays Capital Securities Ltd

15,550,580

0.6301

Barclays Global Investors Japan Trust &

2,462,718

0.0998

Barclays Global Investors Australia Ltd

830,382

0.0336

Barclays Global Fund Advisors

5,280,828

0.2140

Barclays Life Assurance Co Ltd

2,970,685

0.1204

Barclays Global Investors Ltd

31,490,450

1.2759

Gerrard Ltd

377,949

0.153

Barclays Private Bank Ltd

1,596

0.0001

Barclays Global Investors, N.A.

28,190,596

1.1422

Barclays Global Investors Japan Ltd

1,078,609

0.0437

Group Holding

88,245,259

3,5755

 

 

REGISTERED HOLDERS REPORT

BHP BILLITON PLC

SEDOL: 0056650

As at 22 February 2005 Barclays PLC, through the registered holders listed below, had a notifiable interest in 88,245,259 USD0.50 representing 3.58% of the issued share capital of 2,468,147,002 units.

Registered Holder

Account Designation

Holding

Bank of Ireland

345,301

Barclays Capital Nominees Ltd

15,550,580

Barclays Trust Co as EXEC/ADM

866

Barclays Trust Co DMC69

10,000

BNP Paribas

149,185

Chase Nominees Ltd

16376

1,393,213

Chase Nominees Ltd

20947

3,170,318

CIBC Mellon Global Securities

84,615

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

32,450

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

4,131,972

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

448,767

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

70,174

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

597,465

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

39,088

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

1,368,913

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

24,512

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

591,277

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

668,567

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

27,982

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

4,047,706

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

12,798,414

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

3,504,610

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

658,213

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

22,678

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

38,938

Investors Bank and Trust Co.

45,462

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16331

806,735

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16338

160,262

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16341

115,050

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16341

1,447,897

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16342

300,858

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16344

41,713

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16345

57,508

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

16400

26,781,068

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

17011

40,662

JP Morgan (BGI Custody)

18408

145,851

JPMorgan Chase Bank

74,464

JPMorgan Chase Bank

166,542

JPMorgan Chase Bank

97,465

JPMorgan Chase Bank

27,127

JPMorgan Chase Bank

58,706

JPMorgan Chase Bank

151,410

JPMorgan Chase Bank

1,498

JPMorgan Chase Bank

98,434

JPMorgan Chase Bank

420,185

JPMorgan Chase Bank

410,197

JPMorgan Chase Bank

65,662

JPMorgan Chase Bank

104,074

JPMorgan Chase Bank

267,331

JPMorgan Chase Bank

6,000

JPMorgan Chase Bank

314,525

JPMorgan Chase Bank

1,312,621

JPMorgan Chase Bank

312,735

JPMorgan Chase Bank

35,459

JPMorgan Chase Bank

20,491

JPMorgan Chase Bank

23,820

Master Trust Bank

33,268

Mellon Trust - Boston & SF

371,180

Mellon Trust - Boston & SF

212,952

Mellon Trust of New England

265,809

Mitsubishi Trust International

15,761

Mitsubishi Trust International

24,661

Northern Trust Bank - BGI SEPA

70,293

Northern Trust Bank - BGI SEPA

296,843

Northern Trust Bank - BGI SEPA

340,411

R C Greig Nominees Limited a/c

BL1

122,274

R C Greig Nominees Limited a/c

CM1

69,435

R C Greig Nominees Limited GP1

GP1

108,620

R C Greig Nominees Limited SA1

SA1

77,620

State Street

42,216

State Street

3,561

State Street Boston

213,560

State Street Boston

2,146,405

State Street Trust Company Can

85,800

Sumitomo TB

12,659

Wells Fargo Seattle - Wire Ban

42,719

Zeban Nominees Limited

1,596

Total

88,245,259

 

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:
28 February 2005