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 6 May 2005

BHP Billiton Plc

Registration Number 3196209

Neathouse Place

London SW1V 1BH

United Kingdom

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:
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 May 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 May 2005 by BHP Billiton Plc in a communication from Old Mutual plc dated 5 May 2005 relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc as at 29th April 2005:

"Please find notification pursuant to section 198 of the Companies Act 1985, that as at 29th April 2005, Old Mutual Plc and its direct and indirect subsidiaries had a material interest in 223,533,752 ordinary shares of BHP Billiton Plc, representing 9.06% 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 29 April 2005

Total Shares issued

Number of Shares

Company

Registered Holder

% of
issued shares

2,468,147,002

129,797,917

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

5.26%

288,092

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

37,674

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.00%

225,000

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

7,944,885

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

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (SA) Limited

0.32%

49,834,647

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

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

2.02%

3,196,237

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

Mutual & Federal Limited

0.13%

331,442

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

BoE Life Ltd

0.01%

188,096

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

BoE Life Assurance Company Ltd

0.01%

3,217,721

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (Namibia) Ltd

0.13%

212,849

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Holdings (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

1,305,012

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

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

0.05%

95,072

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%

1,221,777

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South African Trust Plc

0.05%

155,092

Quantitive Asset Management

ABSA Nominees

0.01%

316,111

Quantitive Asset Management

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.01%

5,033,855

Quantitive Asset Management

Standard Bank Nominees Ltd

0.20%

196,802

Syfrets Securities

Syfrets Securities Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

5,105,783

NIB Collective Investment Schemes

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.21%

170,392

NIB Securities

NIB IPS Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

3,900,179

BOE Personal Stockbrokers

BNS Nominees

0.16%

3,129

Old Mutual (STRAC)

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.00%

4,337,950

BOE Private Clients

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.18%

31,085

BOE Private Clients

Registered Own Name

0.00%

129,438

BOE Fiduciary

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.01%

TOTAL

223,533,752

9.06%

 

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 Plc
/s/ KAREN WOOD
_____________________

Karen Wood
Title: Company Secretary
Date:
6 May 2005