The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word DARKROOMS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
D
A
R
K
R
O
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S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Are they still development areas?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case are they still development areas? = darkrooms.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DARKROOMS mean?
DARKROOMS noun- A dark room, where photographs are developed.
- A darkened room where sexual activity can take place, especially one in a gay club.