__________________________________________________________________________________

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 24 July 2003

BHP Billiton Limited

ABN 49 004 028 077

600 Bourke 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" - Elizabeth Hobley/Deputy Secretary - Tel: + 44 (0)20 7802 4054

 

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

12,942,267

6.

Percentage of issued class


0.524%

(see NOTE 14)

7.

Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

 

8.

Percentage of issued class

 

 

 

 

9.

Class of security

 

ORDINARY US$0.50

 

10.

Date of transaction

 

8 JULY 2003

11.

Date company informed

 

23 JULY 2003

12.

Total holding following this notification


173,442,473

13.

Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

7.027%

 

14.

Any additional information

ANNOUNCEMENT TRIGGERED BY AFFILIATES ATTAINING A NOTIFIABLE INTEREST (SEE SCHEDULE A ANNEXED HERETO)

 

 

15.

Name of contact and telephone number for queries

ELIZABETH HOBLEY +44 (0)20 7802 4054

 

 

16.

Name and signature of authorised company official

responsible for making this notification

 

ELIZABETH HOBLEY, DEPUTY SECRETARY, BHP BILLITON PLC

Date of notification 24 JULY 2003

Company Announcements Office, Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1HP

As of 8 July 2003

BHP Billiton plc

Schedule A

                                                                                                Number of                 Percent of

                                                                                                Shares                      Outstanding

The Capital Group Companies, Inc. ("CG") holdings               173,442,473                 7.027%

Holdings by CG Management Companies and Funds:

 

- Capital Guardian Trust Company                                                         83,209,503                        3.371%

 

 

 

- Capital International Limited                                                                 33,319,442                         1.350%

 

 

 

-  Capital International S.A.                                                                     21,217,876                         0.860%

 

 

 

- Capital International, Inc.                                                                     13,524,625                         0.548%

 

 

 

- Capital Research and Management Company                                 22,171,027                         0.898%

 

 

Section 198 dated 8 July 2003

BHP Billiton plc

Schedule B

Nominee                                                                                                                             Shares

Bank of New York Nominees

13,583,303

Bank of New York

3 Birchin Lane

London EC3V 9BY

UK

Bank One London

871,173

Bankers Trust

5,000,133

59 1/2 Southmark Street

2nd Floor

London SEI 0HH

UK

Barclays Bank

4,398,155

Barclays Global Securities Services

8 Angel Court

London EC2R 7HT

UK

Brown Bros.

85,446

One Mellon Bank Center

Pittsburgh, PA 15258

BT Globenet Nominees Ltd.

664,085

1 Appold Street

Broadgate

London EC2A 2HE

UK

Chase Manhattan Nominee Ltd.

22,369

Australia

 

Nominee Shares

Chase Nominees Limited

73,780,976

Woolgate House

Coleman Street

London EC2P 2HD

UK

Citibank London

2,262,978

11 Old Jewry

London EC2R 8D8

UK

Citibank NA

515,650

Toronto

Clydesdale Bank plc

488,715

Credit Suisse London Branch

25,755

24 Bishopsgate

London EC2n4BQ

UK

Deutsche Bank AG

1,802,838

23 Great Winchester Street

London EC2P 2AX

United Kingdom

Deutsche Bank Mannheim

160,788

 

Nominee Shares

HSBC Bank plc

1,379,095

Securities Services, Mariner House

Pepys Street

London EC3N 4DA

J.P. Morgan

5,643,982

Lloyds Bank

165,481

Central Settlement Section

Branches Stock Office

34 Threadneedle Street

London EC2R 8AZ

Mellon Bank N.A.

777,039

London Branch

London

United Kingdom

Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited

2,348,580

150 Buchanan Street

Glasgow G1 2DY

United Kingdom

Midland Bank plc

15,159,610

5 Laurence

Poutney Hill

EC4R 0E, United Kingdom

Morgan Guaranty

176,132

83 Pall Mall

London SW1Y 5ES

UK

 

Nominee Shares

Morgan Stanley

132,605

MSS Nominees Limited

391,394

Midland Bank plc

Mariner House, Pepys

London EC3N 4DA

National Westminster Bank

342,322

Northern Trust

1,622,042

c/o NorTrust Nominees Limited

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M 3XS

UK

Northern Trust AVFC

114,832

South Africa

Nortrust Nominees

14,820,984

155 Bishopsgate

London EC2M 3XS

United Kingdom

RBSTB Nominees Ltd.

178,880

67 Lombard St

London EC3 3DL

United Kingdom

 

Nominee Shares

ROY Nominees Limited

67,496

71N Queen Victoria Street

London EC4V 4DE

United Kingdom

Royal Bank of Scotland

4,522,364

Regents House, 42, Islington High St

London N1 8XL

UK

State Street Bank & Trust Co.

1,755,376

State Street Nominees Limited

19,959,468

Canary Wharf

27th Floor, 1 Canada Square

London E14 5AF

UK

Vidacos Nominees Ltd.

222,427

Citibank N.A.

Lewisham House, 25 Molesworth St.

London SE13 7EX

UK

 

Total

173,442,473

 

BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: 600 Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Telephone +61 3 9609 3333 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: 24 July 2003