__________________________________________________________________________________

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 September 2004

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):


"For the information of the local market, please find following notification of major interests in shares filed by BHP Billiton Plc with the London Stock Exchange" 

Ines Watson - Assistant Secretary
Tel + 44 (0)20 7802 4176

 

SCHEDULE 10

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

All relevant boxes should be completed in block capital letters.

1.

Name of company

 

BHP BILLITON PLC

2.

Name of shareholder having a major interest

THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC.

3.

Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding of the shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

NOTIFICATION BY THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC. ON BEHALF OF ITS AFFILIATES

4.

Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of shares held by each of them

 

SEE SCHEDULE B ANNEXED HERETO

5.

Number of shares/amount of stock acquired

6.

Percentage of issued class


 

7.

Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

22,892,967

8.

Percentage of issued class

 

0.928%

 

9.

Class of security

 

ORDINARY US$0.50

10.

Date of transaction


1 SEPTEMBER 2004

11.

Date company informed

 

3 SEPTEMBER 2004

12.

Total holding following this notification


172,217,718

13.

Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

6.978%

 

14.

Any additional information

ANNOUNCEMENT TRIGGERED BY AFFILIATES DECREASING THEIR INTEREST (SEE SCHEDULE A ANNEXED HERETO)

 

 

15.

Name of contact and telephone number for queries

INES WATSON +44 (0)20 7802 4176

 

 

16.

Name and signature of authorised company official

responsible for making this notification

 

INES WATSON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BHP BILLITON PLC

Date of notification 6 SEPTEMBER 2004

 

Schedule of holdings in BHP Billiton Plc as of 1 September 2004

 

 

BHP Billiton Plc

Schedule A

 

                                                                                                    Number of        Percent of

                                                                                                       Shares            Outstanding

The Capital Group Companies, Inc. ("CG") holdings                    172,217,718            6.978%

Holdings by CG Management Companies and Funds:

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule of holdings in BHP Billiton Plc as of 1 September 2004

BHP Billiton Plc

Schedule B

BHP Billiton Plc

Schedule B

 

Capital Guardian Trust Company

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Bank of New York Nominees

1,464,431

Bank of New York

3 Birchin Lane

London EC3V 9BY

UK

Bankers Trust

1,693,182

59 1/2 Southmark Street

2nd Floor

London SEI 0HH

UK

Barclays Bank

392,759

Barclays Global Securities Services

8 Angel Court

London EC2R 7HT

UK

BT Globenet Nominees Ltd.

421,585

1 Appold Street

Broadgate

London EC2A 2HE

UK

Chase Nominees Limited

24,082,379

Woolgate House

Coleman Street

London EC2P 2HD

UK

Citibank

35,300

Citibank London

23,502

11 Old Jewry

London EC2R 8D8

UK

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

HSBC Bank plc

29,872

Securities Services, Mariner House

Pepys Street

London EC3N 4DA

JP Morgan Chase Bank

622,000

Mellon Bank N.A.

213,900

London Branch

London

United Kingdom

Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited

2,435,000

150 Buchanan Street

Glasgow G1 2DY

United Kingdom

Midland Bank plc

8,943,828

5 Laurence

Poutney Hill

EC4R 0E, United Kingdom

MSS Nominees Limited

16,310

Midland Bank plc

Mariner House, Pepys

London EC3N 4DA

Nortrust Nominees Limited

7,404,599

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M 3XS

UK

 

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Northern Trust

303,600

c/o NorTrust Nominees Limited

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M 3XS

UK

Royal Trust

31,600

Royal Bank of Scotland

117,705

Regents House, 42 Islington High Street

London N1 8XL

UK

 

ROY Nominees Limited

38,096

71N Queen Victoria Street

London Ec4V 4DE

UK

State Street Bank & Trust Co

150,557

State Street Nominees Limited

8,420,753

Canary Wharf

27th Floor, 1 Canada Square

London E14 5AF

 

Total

 

56,840,958

 

Schedule of holdings in BHP Billiton Plc as of 1 September 2004

 

Capital International Limited

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Bank of New York Nominees

14,405,187

Bank of New York

3 Birchin Lane

London EC3V 9BY

Bank One London

957,773

Barclays Bank

832,336

Barclays Global Securities Services

8 Angel Court

London EC2R 7HT

Bankers Trust

516,863

59 1/2 Southwark Street

2nd Floor

London SE1 0HH

Chase Nominees Limited

9,794,772

Woolgate House

Coleman Street

London EC2P 2HD

Citibank London

1,096,106

11 Old Jewry

London EC2R 8D8

UK

Citibank NA

314,794

Toronto

Clydesdale Bank plc

471,115

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Deutsche Bank AG

1,804,355

23 Great Winchester Street

London EC2P 2AX

UK

HSBC Bank plc

1,191,817

Securities Services, Mariner House

Pepys Street

London EC3N 4DA

JP Morgan Chase Bank

477,000

KAS UK

409,200

Kass Associate

P O Box 178

1000 AD Amsterdam

Lloyds Bank

171,712

Central Settlement Section

Branches Stock Office

34 Threadneedle Street

London

Mellon Bank N.A.

928,239

London Branch

London

UK

Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited

898,969

150 Buchanan Street

Glasgow G1 2DY

UK

Midland Bank plc

441,059

5 Laurence

Poutney Hill

EC4R 0E

UK

 

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Morgan Guaranty

239,032

83 Pall Mall

London SW1Y 5ES

UK

MSS Nominees Limited

413,400

Midland Bank plc

Mariner House, Pepys

London EC3N 4DA

National Westminster Bank

472,938

Northern Trust AVFC

485,932

South Africa

Northern Trust

2,904,047

c/o NorTrust Nominees Limited

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M3XS

Nortrust Nominees

7,362,191

155 Bishopsgate

London ECM 3XS

UK

Royal Bank of Scotland

4,845,557

Regents House, 42 Islington High St

London N1 8XL

UK

State Street Australia Limited

27,300

Australia

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

State Street Bank & Trust Co

5,996,987

State Street Nominees Limited

1,802,327

Canary Wharf

27th Floor, 1 Canada Square

London E14 5AF

Total

59,261,008

 

Schedule of holdings in BHP Billiton Plc as of 1 September 2004

 

Capital International S.A.

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Barclays Bank

1,831,447

Barclays Global Securities Services

8 Angel Court

London EC2R 7HT

Bank of New York Nominees

19,700

Bank of New York

3 Birchin Lane

London EC3V 9BY

Brown Bros

169,046

One Mellon Bank Center

Pittsburg, PA 15258

Chase Nominees Limited

4,587,695

Woolgate House

Coleman Street

London EC2P 2HD

Citibank London

103,124

11 Old Jewry

London EC2R 8D8

UK

Citibank NA

85,633

Toronto

Credit Suisse London Branch

147,555

24 Bishopsgate

London EC2N 4BQ

UK

 

 

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Deutsche Bank AG

551,009

23 Great Winchester Street

London EC2P 2AX

UK

HSBC Bank plc

1,076,657

Securities Services, Mariner House

Pepys Street

London EC3N 4DA

JP Morgan

9,483,785

Lloyds Bank

39,000

Central Settlement Section

Branches Stock Office

34 Threadneedle Street

London

 

Midland Bank plc

1,921,211

5 Laurence Poutney Hill

EC4R 0E

United Kingdom

Morgan Stanley

132,205

National Westminster Bank

271,584

Nortrust Nominees Limited

127,086

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M3XS

 

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Pictet & Cie

145,200

Geneva

RBSTB Nominees Ltd

413,100

67 Lombard Street

London EC3 3DL

UK

Royal Bank of Scotland

285,906

Regents House, 42 Islington High St

London N1 8XL

UK

State Street Bank & Trust Co

98,581

State Street Nominees Limited

67,600

Canary Wharf

27th Floor, 1 Canada Square

London E14 5AF

 

Total

 

21,557,124

 

Schedule of holdings in BHP Billiton Plc as of 1 September 2004

 

Capital International, Inc.

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Bank of New York Nominees

775,248

Bank of New York

3 Birchin Lane

London EC3V 9BY

Bankers Trust

22,991

59 1/2 Southwark Street

2nd Floor

London SE1 0HH

Brown Bros

280,002

One Mellon Bank Center

Pittsburgh, PA 15258

Chase Nominees Limited

3,129,110

Woolgate House

Coleman Street

London EC2P 2HD

Citibank

32,147

Citibank London

79,205

11 Old Jewry

London EC2R 8D8

UK

Citibank NA

391,544

Toronto

 

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

HSBC Bank plc

295,900

Securities Services, Mariner House

Pepys Street

London EC3N 4DA

JP Morgan Chase Bank

740,000

Midland Bank plc

472,414

5 Laurence

Poutney Hill

EC4R 0E

UK

Northern Trust

49,889

C/o NorTrust Nominees Limited

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M 3XS

Nortrust Nominees Limited

370,498

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M3XS

Royal Bank of Scotland

411,069

Regents House, 42 Islington High St

London N1 8XL

UK

RBSTB Nominees Ltd

88,295

67 Lombard Street

London EC3 3DL

UK

State Street Bank & Trust Co

524,688

 

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited

4,724,601

Canary Wharf

27th Floor, 1 Canada Square

London E14 5AF

Total

12,387,601

 

Schedule of holdings in BHP Billiton Plc as of 1 September 2004

 

Capital Research and Management Company

Registered Name                                                                                                       Local Shares

Chase Nominees Limited

20,671,027

Woolgate House

Coleman Street

London EC2P 2HD

State Street Nominees Limited

1,500,000

Canary Wharf

27th Floor, 1 Canada Square

London E14 5AF

 

Total

 

22,171,027

 

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:
6 September 2004