Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc
 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

July 6, 2005

BHP Billiton Limited
———————————————————————————————————
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
 
180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
———————————————————————————————————
(Address of principal executive office)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:  [x] Form 20-F   [  ] Form 40-F
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):  [ ]
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):  [ ]
 
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    [x] No
 
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):    n/a 
 

Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

To:
London Stock Exchange
Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1HP
United Kingdom

Company Announcements Office
The Australian Stock Exchange
4th Floor, 20 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

cc:
New York Stock Exchange
Swiss Stock Exchange
JSE Securities Exchange SA
Deutsche Bank
UBS Zurich

   

Date: 6 July 2005

For Release: Immediately

Contact: Jamin Lawton +44 (0)20 7802 4108

 

Notification of Major Interests in Shares

 

The following notification was received on 5 July 2005 by BHP Billiton Plc in a communication from Old Mutual plc dated 5 July 2005 relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc as at 1 July 2005:

"Please find notification pursuant to section 198 of the Companies Act 1985, that as at 1 July 2005, Old Mutual plc and its direct and indirect subsidiaries had a material interest in 213,220,031 ordinary shares of BHP Billiton plc, representing 8.64% of the issued share capital. The shares are registered as per the attached schedule."

Registered holdings of BHP Billiton Plc share capital by Old Mutual Companies at 1 July 2005

Total Shares issued

Number of Shares

Company

Registered Holder

% of
issued shares

2,468,147,002

120,438,409

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

4.88%

281,092

Prudential Portfolio Managers SA (Pty) Ltd (not an Old Mutual Company

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

51,774

PeregrineQuant (Pty) Ltd (Not an Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.00%

336,700

Polaris Capital (Pty) Ltd (Not and Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

7,644,329

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (SA) Limited

0.31%

49,116,203

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (Managed Fund Client Assets)

1.99%

3,196,237

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Mutual & Federal Limited

0.13%

306,032

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

BoE Life Ltd

0.01%

114,447

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

BoE Life Assurance Company Ltd

0.00%

2,951,018

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (Namibia) Ltd

0.12%

212,849

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Holdings (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

1,300,531

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd (Managed Fund Client Assets)

0.05%

95,558

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (Namibia) Limited

0.00%

1,269,492

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual Global Asset Fund

0.05%

4,988,023

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South Africa Equity Trust Limited

0.20%

1,350,044

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South African Trust Plc

0.05%

150,269

Quantitive Asset Management

ABSA Nominees

0.01%

293,668

Quantitive Asset Management

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.01%

4,765,755

Quantitive Asset Management

Standard Bank Nominees Ltd

0.19%

231,561

Syfrets Securities

Syfrets Securities Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

5,748,640

Nedcor Collective Investments Limited

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.23%

139,029

Taquanta Asset Managers (Pty) Ltd

NIB IPS Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

3,921,347

BOE Personal Stockbrokers

BNS Nominees

0.16%

3,129

Old Mutual (STRAC)

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.00%

4,154,335

BOE Private Clients

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.17%

31,392

BOE Private Clients

Registered Own Name

0.00%

128,168

BOE Fiduciary

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.01%

TOTAL

213,220,031

8.64%


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
     
Date: 6 July 2005 By:

Karen Wood


  Name:  Karen Wood
  Title: Company Secretary