Landing area with illumination (9)

I believe the answer is:

alighting

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'landing' is the definition.
(alighting is a kind of landing)

'area with illumination' is the wordplay.
'area with' becomes 'a' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'illumination' becomes 'lighting' (lighting is a kind of illumination).
'a'+'lighting'='ALIGHTING'

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(Other definitions for alighting that I've seen before include "Descending from a train, bus, etc." , "Landing" , "coming" , "Getting off" , "Settling" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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