Holding in Company

Balfour Beatty PLC
15 October 2001


Balfour Beatty plc

15 October 2001

Balfour Beatty plc ('Balfour Beatty') today received notice that Franklin
Resources, Inc. and its affiliates (which perform management and advisory
services for clients on a global basis) have, on behalf of clients, decreased
their notifiable interest in the ordinary share capital of Balfour Beatty and
now hold 12,371,636 ordinary shares, representing 2.98% of the issued ordinary
capital of Balfour Beatty.