The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FRONTAGE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
F
R
O
N
T
A
G
E
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "facade" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case facade = frontage.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 FRONTAGE mean?
FRONTAGE noun- The front part of a property or building that faces the street.
- The land between a property and the street.
- The length of a property along a street.
- Property or territory adjacent to a body of water.
- The front part generally.