The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CLEARING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
L
E
A
R
I
N
G
More clues leading to the result CLEARING
- Sort of bank on this route into university?
- Woodland space becoming brighter
- Passing over treeless area
- Member gets to stick around in open space
- Sort of bank making so much profit?
- Dell perhaps, making a profit
- Settling in a wooded area without trees
- *Hold tight to capture attention in open space
- Giving the green light to stick listener somewhere in the middle
- Exonerating Cordelia initially, then her father in middle of tragedy
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Passing over/treeless area" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case passing over/treeless area = clearing.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 CLEARING mean?
CLEARING verb- To remove obstructions, impediments or other unwanted items from.
- To remove (items or material) so as to leave something unobstructed or open.
- To become free from obstruction or obscurement; to become transparent.
- To eliminate ambiguity or doubt from (a matter); to clarify or resolve; to clear up.
- To remove from suspicion, especially of having committed a crime.
- To pass without interference; to miss.
- (activities such as jumping or throwing) To exceed a stated mark.
- To finish or complete (a stage, challenge, or game).
- Of a check or financial transaction, to go through as payment; to be processed so that the money is transferred.
- To earn a profit of; to net.
- To approve or authorise for a particular purpose or action; to give clearance to.
- To obtain approval or authorisation in respect of.
- To obtain a clearance.
- To obtain permission to use (a sample of copyrighted audio) in another track.
- To disengage oneself from incumbrances, distress, or entanglements; to become free.
- To hit, kick, head, punch etc. (a ball, puck) away in order to defend one's goal.
- To reset or unset; to return to an empty state or to zero.
- To style (an element within a document) so that it is not permitted to float at a given position.
- The act or process of making or becoming clear.
- An area of land within a wood or forest devoid of trees.
- An open space in the fog etc.
- A process of exchanging transaction information and authorisation through a central institution or system to complete and settle those transactions.
- A sequence of events used to disconnect a call, and return to the ready state.
- The period in which remaining university places are allocated to remaining students.
- The act of removing the ball from one's own goal area by kicking it.